


priceless

by ndnickerson



Series: tall, dark and dangerous [2]
Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Birth Control, Birthday, Birthday Party, Birthday Presents, Birthday Sex, Camping, Cunnilingus, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fingerfucking, First Time, Gift Giving, Loss of Virginity, Masturbation, Mirror Sex, Missionary Position, New York City, Nudity, Oral Sex, Outdoor Sex, Party, Presents, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Sharing a Bed, Travel, Vacation, Voyeurism, love token
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-06-22
Packaged: 2017-12-08 08:16:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 123,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/759166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/pseuds/ndnickerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nancy and Ned learn more about each other as they pursue a relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Oh my God."

"Like that?"

Nancy, her eyes still closed, was speechless for a long moment. "Ohhhhh. Yes," she finally managed to say, and licked her lips. "Ohhhhhh."

Ned appeared in the doorway, his cell phone still in his hand. "Okay, that is _it_ ," he said, his tone playfully stern. "Louis, for the last time, stop trying to steal my girlfriend."

"Uh, sweetheart? He... well, he really could. If I weren't totally in love with you."

Louis had prepared a selection of tasting plates for Nancy and Ned so they could decide on the menu for the dinner party they were throwing the following night. This was only the second long weekend Nancy and Ned had been able to spend together, and Nancy was ready for her best friends in the world to meet her boyfriend. Bess had heard so much about Louis that she had practically insisted on her and George's introduction to Ned also involving his personal chef. When Ned's cell phone had rung with a business call just as Louis had put down the last plate, Ned had excused himself to take it, but Nancy hadn't been able to resist digging in.

She and Ned had spent the long weekend after the fundraiser together, and even though Bess had half-teased, half-begged Nancy to say they had spent all of it in bed, in truth they hadn't. They had gone to Millennium Park and a few museums together, a new indie movie at a quirky little theater, and Ned had introduced her to a few out-of-the-way restaurants Louis had recommended in his absence, since Ned had let him stay back in New York for a little break. Nancy and Ned had slept together each night in the large, incredibly sumptuous bed, but since he knew that she wanted to take things slow physically, they had spent a lot of their time together asking each other questions, finding out about each other, comparing favorite movies and musicians and destinations. Ned had been to many of the same places she had, but he didn't brag about it, and she loved that.

He loved hearing about her cases, though. On the Sunday of that weekend, Ned had started playing a game with her. He did a web search on her name and read headlines aloud to her, and she had to guess which case the story referenced. Then they'd had a tickle fight that had ended with her pinned under him, gazing up at him, their bodies tight together. They had ended up making out, moving against each other, and while all their clothes had stayed on, the trembling, almost painfully intense arousal she felt when they reluctantly parted had left her panting and aching for his touch. Ned had excused himself for a moment, and when he had come back to bed and pulled her into his arms, he had been relaxed again, but she hadn't been.

She did want to take things slow. She was sure about that. She was just refining her definition of the word 'slow.'

Soon school would be back in session, though, and Nancy hated that. She never wanted the summer to end; she never wanted to be away from Ned, at least not for longer than she absolutely had to be.

Nancy knew it was the first blush of love, simple infatuation, or at least that was what Bess, George, Hannah and her father would have her believe. But she had been infatuated so many times before. This felt nothing like that. It was so incredibly intense that she felt nervous even talking about it, sometimes even about discussing it with Ned, and she could sense that he felt the same way. Ned was very accustomed to being strong, and so was Nancy. This sudden vulnerability felt unreal.

She had fallen in love with him over the course of three dates, in less than a week. It was impossible. It was reckless and impulsive and ill-advised; it was everything that had ever made her cautious and nervous on her friend's behalf when it came to Bess's relationships.

Intellectually she understood all that.

But her heart didn't care. She saw him and she was drowning in desire: desire to touch him, to feel his lips against hers, his body pressed to hers. Desire to find out absolutely everything about him, every story about his childhood, every detail, every love and every fear. She wanted to know all of him, and with everything she found out, she felt more and more fascinated by him.

He was an incredible man, and she had never met anyone else like him, even remotely like him. And he had told her that he felt the same way about her.

Before, she would have been okay by herself—but that was only before she knew him. She knew that her father was worried about the speed of their relationship, but she had told him the truth. Ned was different, and so their relationship was different from any other.

Ned put his phone away and came over to her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head before he reached for a fork and scooped up a sample of the dish that had made Nancy practically swoon with pleasure. He tasted it, then closed his eyes as he swallowed.

"Shit," he murmured in appreciation. "Sorry, Nan. You'll have to get in line, because I might just marry him after our dinner party."

Louis shook his head, smirking. "Let me make a note," he said. "For the second course, though..."

Louis took them both through all the samples, and making a choice between all he had made was almost impossible. It was all incredibly delicious. Absolutely every meal he had made for them had been restaurant-quality, beautifully composed and perfectly seasoned, sweet or savory. Nancy patted her stomach ruefully once their tasting session was over.

"Okay. Now I'm going to have to find a way to work all those unspeakably delicious calories off," Nancy said teasingly as she curled up beside Ned on the couch.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him, and she let out a happy sigh. "I'll just have to ponder how I could possibly help you with that," he teased her back.

"Did you have a good week, Ned?"

He had turned on a movie, but they were in effect ignoring it. They talked about what they had done over the week, and Nancy talked to him about the breaks she had in her fall school schedule. Then Louis wished them a good night and said he would see them in the morning, and they were alone in the apartment.

Nancy had brought over a small overnight bag, and a casual dress to wear for their dinner party; it was the only garment hanging in the second walk-in closet, but hanging it there had given Nancy a small thrill. She loved the domesticity of it.

But, at Bess's suggestion, Nancy had also brought over a few more outfits. She had just worn Ned's t-shirts to bed during their first full weekend together. For this one, though, since he understood her eagerness to become intimate with him without going too far, she had decided to take the plunge. For the first time, she had bought lingerie she meant for someone else to see.

"I think I'll go get changed," she murmured, kissing his cheek.

"If you must," Ned murmured, letting his fingertips drift up her smooth, slender leg. Her shorts were short, and the material of her shirt was so thin that she could definitely feel the warmth of his skin through it. "Maybe I should, too..."

She took her overnight bag into the master bath and sighed a little as she looked around. The room was done in marble, with an enormous sunken tub, a separate shower stall large enough for both of them, and two sinks. When Nancy had asked if it was okay for her to leave a few things, like a hairbrush and toothbrush, at the apartment, Ned had told her he was perfectly happy with that. While she didn't believe Ned would use the apartment to see other women, since they were together now, she still liked the small mark of possessiveness, of permanence.

And they still hadn't tried out either the tub or the shower together yet.

Nancy stripped down to her white lace bra and white lace-backed bikini panties, then considered her options. She settled on a short pale-yellow slip embellished with a little lace. It looked gorgeous against her tan.

While she was quickly brushing her hair, she heard Ned in the bedroom changing, and waited until she was pretty sure he was finished to exit the bathroom. She hadn't seen him naked yet—she hadn't seen any man naked yet, really, beyond the briefest glimpses in movies—and she didn't want it to cause any awkwardness between them.

Although Ned seemed perfectly happy to try anything with her, Nancy had to admit. He asked for reassurance when they were trying something new, just making sure she was okay with it, but when they were locked in a tight embrace, Nancy had to admit that it was almost impossible to remember why it shouldn't continue, why they shouldn't be closer.

She didn't understand it. She had never felt this way with anyone else; she had only felt self-conscious and nervous, almost skittish. With him, she just felt curious and happy.

For the first time, the thought of having sex with someone didn't fill her with nervousness and fear.

Nancy walked back into the main room of the apartment, her long legs and feet bare, her hair loose over her shoulders. Ned glanced up at her, and his dark eyes glowed as he let his gaze slowly slide down and back up. "You look so gorgeous," he murmured. He had changed into a grey t-shirt and black shorts, and he looked relaxed and comfortable.

"Thanks," she said with a smile, and when she sat down beside him, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and urged her to cuddle against him.

"So, Nan..."

"Hmm?"

He toyed gently with the strap of her gown. "Now might be a good time for us to talk about what's on the table, and what isn't," he murmured.

Nancy felt her cheeks warm a little. "Okay," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, and she turned to look into his face.

"I know you don't want to go all the way," he said, looking into her eyes. "What about anal?"

Nancy's blush deepened, and she shook her head.

"Oral?"

She hesitated. "Um... not yet."

"But eventually," Ned said, and his eyes were sparkling.

She hesitated again. "I... I don't know," she said softly. "I don't know if I'd be any good at... that."

Ned shrugged. "No one's _good_ on the first try," he said. "Especially with an uncommunicative partner. The trick is talking to each other." His hand slipped down, and he gently traced the edge of the hem of her slip, his fingertip stroking back and forth. "Telling me what feels good and what doesn't, if you want me to go faster or slower, or rougher..."

Nancy shivered, her lips parted. A tingling was radiating over her, centered on the sensation of his fingers against her skin. "Oh," she whispered.

"Do you already know what you like?" When she shook her head wordlessly at him, her brow furrowed a little, he asked, "Have you ever come?"

She damned the blush in her cheeks again as she shook her head. "I've never been with anyone other than you..."

"That doesn't mean you haven't come." His lips parted a little when she glanced down. "If you touch yourself..."

She ran her hand through her hair, too embarrassed to meet his eyes, and shook her head again.

"Nan, I'm sorry," he said softly. "Is it upsetting you to talk about it?"

She swallowed hard. Of the three of them, between her, Bess, and George, Nancy had always been the most embarrassed when it came to talking about sex. Bess had always been incredibly curious about it, and George couldn't have cared less. Nancy had never been sure why, and she thought that maybe it was because she hadn't been able to talk to her mother about it. Even though her father had tried to give her a fairly comprehensive education on the topic, Nancy hadn't ever talked to Hannah about it, and exposing her naïveté about it to Bess and George—well, it had just been easier to tune it out.

Once, they had been on a stakeout and Bess had brought the latest issue of _Cosmo_ along, and had read aloud an article about the benefits of masturbation. Nancy had been mortified, and George had just snickered.

And Nancy felt again how terribly inexperienced and naive she was about all of it, how incredibly unsophisticated.

"It's not... upsetting," she said, her voice low. She found that she had her arms crossed over her belly, almost protectively. "It's just... I'm sorry."

"About what?" He put his arm around her again. "Shh, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to make you embarrassed."

She sighed. "I know you must be used to women who could talk about that kind of thing without blinking..."

He dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "When you and I are together, you are the only woman I'm concerned about... and I know that you are giving me an amazing gift, letting me be the first man to be intimate with you. The last thing I want is to upset you."

She frowned. "I guess I'm just afraid that you'll get tired of waiting for me to be ready."

"And do what?" He kissed her cheek. "I'm with you, babe. The only person I'm going to cheat on you with is my hand, okay?"

She rested her head on his shoulder, just a little shocked that he would say that to her. "Is that why we can get close and you..."

"Yeah." He took a breath. "And if you don't masturbate... is it uncomfortable for you, when we get that close and then stop?"

"A little," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I feel so tense and... waiting..."

He kissed her temple. "Well, I can show you what to do," he murmured. "To... release the tension. Or I could help you. If you're comfortable with me doing that. I just didn't want to go too far, too early."

She tried to speak, and found she had to clear her throat. "How... would you... help?"

"Well, sweetheart, when you're tense, if you're anything like me, you need to have an orgasm to relieve it, and I could help you do that. And if the thought of that scares you, if you don't want me to touch you that way yet, trust me, it would be incredibly damn sexy if you'd let me watch you touch yourself."

A frisson of something went over Nancy's belly. "So you'd just be touching me?"

"Mmm-hmm." He kissed her temple, the edge of her brow, her cheekbone. "With my fingers, and then with my lips and my tongue if you wanted that..."

"And the—" Nancy squeezed her eyes tighter shut. "The vibrator?"

Ned let out a soft chuckle and moved back to look into her face. "Oh?"

She finally opened her eyes and she knew her cheeks were blazing hot. "I... saw it in your room in New York," she whispered, her brow furrowing a little in apology.

Ned smiled. He looked bemused. "We could work up to that," he told her. "But we would have to work up to it, because I'm sure you are tight as holy fuck, and _God_ , it would drive me crazy to watch you moan and whimper and scream while I worked a toy inside you, because I'd be wishing the entire time that you were taking my cock instead."

Nancy's gaze dropped to his lips. "What do you want to do to me?" she whispered, and her eyes were wide when they went back to his own.

Ned shook his head. "No, sweetheart. This isn't about what I want to do to you. This is about what you want and what you're comfortable with doing."

She leaned forward and kissed him gently, her lips lingering against his. "What do you want to do to me, Ned?" she whispered, her voice breathy, her heart speeding.

He brought his hand up and gently clasped a handful of her hair, returning the kiss once before he kissed her earlobe, then sucked it into his mouth. "I want to make you comfortable and relaxed and so fucking wet for me, baby, and then I want to part the lips of that slick, tight little pussy and work every hot inch of my cock into you. I want to be the first man who ever feels you that way; I want to be the _only_ man who ever feels you that way. I want to feel you twine those sexy legs around me and moan every time I drive into you; I want to rub your clit until your toes are curling, until you're begging me for relief, to let you come. And then I'll draw it out for you, until I can't stand it any longer, and when I finally feel you start to pulse around me I'll keep going until I make you scream with how good it feels before I let you finish.

"I want to bend you over the couch and pinch your tight little nipples while I fuck you from behind. I want to cuff you to the bed and tease you until you're begging me to fuck you. I want to teach you how to suck me off, and I want to taste that slick pussy, I want to slip my tongue into where you're probably aching for me right now, between those gorgeous legs.

"I want to learn you, Nan. I want to learn the sexy as fuck little sounds you'll make when you're aroused, when I do something right; I want to see if I can drive you crazy just sucking your nipples, or if I'll have to stroke or suck your clit to get you there.

"And oh, God, I want you riding me..." He kissed the side of her neck and she knew her skin was damp with perspiration; she felt like she couldn't catch her breath, like she was in so far over her head, and only going deeper. Every brush of his lips or fingertips made her shudder with arousal. "I want to watch you bouncing on my cock, beautiful..."

Nancy let out a soft whimper. He had moved so he was pinning her against the back cushions of the couch, and even though she could move away from him, the low growl of his voice vibrated against her throat and seemed to send a tingling awareness all the way down her spine. It was centered between her legs, and she could feel a faint pulse there, one she imagined was somehow matched to the beating of his heart.

"That's what I want. Some of it, anyway." He kissed the hollow at the base of her throat, then brought his head back up, and his dark eyes were hooded and so intense as they stared into hers. "But first, I want you to know that none of that is going to happen until you're okay with it."

She nodded. "Okay," she whispered, and her voice was softer than a whisper.

Ned waited a beat, then chuckled. "Well, I'm sure if you weren't thoroughly freaked out before, you are now..."

She shook her head. "No one's ever said anything like that to me before," she murmured. "It's all been, 'I'm gonna show you such a good time, baby,' or 'I'm gonna tear that ass up,' but I never... knew..." She swept her hair back out of her face.

"Should I maybe have saved all that until our next weekend together?" He gave her a small, lopsided smile.

She shook her head again, keeping her gaze locked to his. "When you... touch yourself, do you think about that? With me?"

He nodded.

She swallowed. "Show me," she whispered. "I want you to give me an orgasm, Ned. I want to feel your hands on me, touching me..."

He smiled at her, and that almost dangerous gleam was back in his eyes. "Okay," he told her. "If you get scared or nervous, just tell me to stop, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay," she murmured, her voice trembling a little.

"And..." Ned reached for her hand and laced his fingers between hers. "If you like it, and you want to... when we're apart, we can have phone sex."

She gave him a shy smile. "I've never been really sure what that meant," she admitted, then chuckled at herself. "I've never been sure what a lot of it meant. I feel so damn—naive, and innocent..."

"Which is why I don't want to take this any faster than you want," he told her. "I love that you want to learn with me, but I really don't want to scare you. If we were to have phone sex, I'd tell you what I wanted to do to you—a lot like what I just did, and I'd tell you how I was touching myself, and what I was imagining you doing to me, and you would touch yourself too, and tell me what you were doing and what you were imagining. And I'd get to hear you come when I did, and it would be like we'd had sex. A really disappointing long-distance version of sex, but sex."

She gave him another shy smile. "So is there a version of that we could do, but in person?"

"Mutual masturbation," he nodded. "Although if we were going to do that, we could touch ourselves _or_ each other."

"Without..." She made a vague gesture, her eyebrows up a little.

"Without penetration?" He smiled when she nodded. "Yeah. If that's where you're drawing the line, we can do that without penetration."

"And... would you be happy with that?" Her gaze dropped again. "I mean, is... penetration..." Her cheeks flushed again. "Is that what will make you happy?"

"Nan, there is _so much_ else we can do," he told her. "So much. And a lot of it would make me _very_ happy. Hand jobs—if you jerked me off, or if you went down on me... if you let me rub against you without getting inside you. Sweetheart, _that_ kind of touching, putting my cock inside you... we can wait until you're okay with that, and no, I'm not going to get tired of waiting. Because I don't want to do that with you until _you_ want it, too."

"But you do want it."

"Well, yeah." He shrugged. "It's amazing. It feels incredible. But..." He smiled. "I've never had unprotected—without a condom—sex."

"I know what that means," she whispered, with a small smile. "For once."

He squeezed her hand. "I've heard that feels even better. And if, or when, you decide that you do want us to do that, we'll use protection."

"Always?"

He searched her eyes. "Until... well, until you're on birth control, or..."

He let his voice trail off. "Or we're prepared to deal with the consequences," she completed softly.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

She looked down at their joined hands. "So let's do that," she said softly.

"Do what?"

She swallowed. "When I want to... take that step with you, I'll get on birth control, and you won't have to... do that. Use protection. And that way, it will be new for both of us. Does that sound okay to you?"

He gave her a slow, incredibly sexy grin. "Hell yes, baby. That sounds great to me. Now, do you want something to drink?"

She glanced at her diet soda. "I'm good," she said. "Did you?"

He shook his head. "Just thought it might help you relax," he said, and tucked another strand of hair behind her ear.

She gave him a small smile. "I'd rather be sober," she told him. "I'd rather remember all of it."

He kissed her, softly, and although they had kissed as soon as she had come to his apartment, now she was wearing significantly fewer clothes, and his palm cupped warm against her side made her shiver. She reached up and threaded her fingers through his hair, returning it sweetly.

"You look so beautiful," he murmured, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"I bought this for you," she admitted with a smile. "I'm glad you like it."

"It's perfect." His tongue stroked against hers as they kissed again, and she shuddered. "Can you take your bra off?"

She nodded, moving back a little, and when she looked down, reaching behind her, Ned crooked his finger under her chin and tilted it up.

"You don't have to be shy around me," he told her, his voice low, almost husky as he searched her eyes. "I don't want you to be ashamed of anything we're doing, or feel upset by it... and I think you are so incredibly gorgeous, Nancy. So beautiful."

She took a deep breath, locking her gaze to his as she slipped her bra straps down and took the undergarment off without taking off her slip. The thin yellow fabric felt silky and cool against her nipples, and they were already peaked and standing through it.

"Can you take your shirt off, too?" she asked.

He nodded. "But would you?" he replied, his dark eyes sparkling.

He raised his arms and she took the hem of his shirt in her hands and tugged it up, revealing his handsome, incredibly sculpted chest. She dropped his shirt to the floor at their feet, and warmed a little when his gaze dropped to her breasts.

"Come here," he murmured, and drew her to him, then moved onto his side. He had his back against the back cushions of the couch and he was lying across the seat, and she faced him on her own side, her body pressed to his. He pillowed her head on his arm, and he draped the other over her, stroking up and down the line of her spine.

He was warm, so damn warm. Nancy took a breath and slowly began to trail small, soft kisses against his throat and collarbone, and she let out a soft whimper when his fingertips brushed her ass, through her panties and slip.

"Can I see you naked?" he whispered.

She paused, her lips pressed against his adam's apple. "Like...?"

Ned chuckled, and she felt it vibrate against her lips. "Like it'll be easier to touch you that way," he explained. "I can do it under your clothes, or through them, but it'll just be easier."

Thinking about it sent a shiver of arousal down her spine. "Okay," she murmured.

He tipped his head down and kissed her again, and his knee slipped between hers. She made a soft noise as she opened her legs to him, and when his upper thigh barely brushed between her legs, she trembled against him, that damned flush tingling all over her, centering where they were in contact.

He growled into her mouth. "God," he murmured, and he cupped her ass. "Mmm. You have got to be so tense, sweetheart..."

She kissed him again. "I want you," she whimpered. "Oh, God, please, _please_..."

"In here, or in bed?"

She only took a second to decide. "In bed," she whispered.

He kissed her again, deeply, and rubbed his thigh between hers. She instinctively ground against him in response, seeking some friction, something, and he groaned. "Yeah, sweetheart," he murmured. "Mmmm. Just like that."

Then he sat up, standing and pulling her into his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She kissed the side of his neck, feeling lightheaded and so incredibly warm, feeling the heat of his bare chest against her nipples through her slip as he carried her to his bed.

He went over to the bedside table and turned on the lamp, then sat down with her on the bed, her legs still wrapped around him. He caught the hem of her slip in his large warm palms, and she kissed him again and again, her hips gently rocking.

He began to slide her gown up, and she broke the kiss, obediently raising her arms so he could take it off her. He tossed it away, and she sat on his lap clad only in her white lace panties, her breasts bare to him for the first time.

"Mmm." He cupped her breasts, and when his thumbs rubbed back and forth over her nipples, Nancy tipped her head back, moaning at how amazing it felt.

"Can I kiss you here?"

She whimpered. "Later," she whispered, tipping her head back up, and she was panting. "Please, Ned, oh God..."

Ned groaned when her hips came into contact with his again. "God, _years_ of pent-up sexual frustration," he growled as she ground against the hardness she could feel beneath his shorts. "Guess I should count myself lucky you haven't practically caught the damn _room_ on fire."

She slipped her arms around his neck, biting back a quiet sob as he caught her nipples between thumbs and forefingers. "Make me come," she whimpered into his ear. "Please, Ned, I want you to be the first person to ever make me come..."

He shifted to roll her onto her back, and smiled at her when she opened her legs to him. "Almost," he murmured. "Pull the covers back, Nan."

She arched and together they pushed the comforter to the side so her bare back was against the cooler sheets. Ned reached for the sides of her panties and she helped him push them down.

"Open your legs again."

She flushed as she obeyed him. While she had crossed so many lines with him, she couldn't help feeling like this one was a major one. The front of his shorts were tented.

"Can I see you, too?"

Immediately he reached for his shorts. While the overhead lights weren't on, and the bedside lamp cast them both into golden shadow, she still studied him curiously. He didn't look anything like she had been expecting, and she wondered if he was disappointed in the way she looked naked.

He'd seen so many women naked, she was sure, many of them incredibly slender and gorgeous.

"Is this okay?"

She nodded, her gaze going from his erect cock to his face. "Is _this_ okay?" she asked softly.

"Oh yes. You're so incredibly beautiful."

She blushed a little. "Really?"

He nodded, standing on his knees between her parted legs, just gazing down at her. "Mmm-hmm. I could just stare at you like this, all day long."

"That would be awfully disappointing," she told him with a small smile.

"I didn't say it would be easy," he said, giving her a playful smirk, and then he moved onto his side, stretching out beside her. She turned to gaze at his face, and he gave her a soft kiss as his hand came down to cup her breast again.

"Because all I want, every time I see you... is to have you like this. To be able to touch you, beautiful." He kept kissing her as he stroked her other breast. "To feel you..."

She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly cupping the back of his head as she returned his kiss. "Mmm," she moaned as he gently drew small circles and spirals against her bare skin, working his way slowly down. Her heart was beating so quickly, and her breathing sped up, the lower he went. She felt so incredibly sensitive that she jumped, tensing as he touched her belly button.

"Shhh," he whispered. "Shhh. Just relax, baby."

"Will it hurt?" she gasped out, and God, she felt so keyed up and anxious. She was afraid of doing something wrong.

"Shhhh, sweetheart, calm down. It won't hurt, but if you don't like it, just tell me and we'll stop, okay?"

She swallowed. "What do I do?"

"Just whatever feels right. If you just want to lay there, that's okay. If you want to move, that's okay too." He smiled at her. "Relax, Nan. It's gonna be okay."

She nodded, searching his eyes, and as he cupped her between her thighs, her lips parted and she let out a soft sigh.

"Do you want me to talk to you?"

"Yes, please." Her voice was trembling a little.

He gently drew his fingertips up the join of her thighs, then repeated the motion a few more times, and she had never felt so incredibly aroused in her life. She bent her knee, opening her legs a little wider, and he smiled at her.

"You don't have to look?" she murmured, without thinking.

He shook his head. "I just need to see your face," he told her. "So I know when you like it."

She drew her fingertips down the back of his neck, and when he barely dragged the tip of his index finger up the slit between her legs, Nancy found herself moaning, her back arching. He did it again, more slowly, and she choked, holding herself perfectly still, all her attention centered on the amazing sensation.

"These are your lips," he murmured, and he smiled as his gaze went lower on her face for a second. "And here... down here... oh, God, you're wet. When you're aroused, your sex gets wet for me."

He dipped his finger low between her legs and Nancy jerked like she was thunderstruck, crying out at the bolt of pure dizzying desire she felt. "Here," he murmured, and her heart was beating so damn loud, echoing in her ears. "Here's where we fit together."

She swallowed. "You... are you sure?"

"Oh, yes."

"That we'll _fit_?"

He gave her a wider grin. "Oh yes, Nan. We will. With a whole lot of lube and a whole lot of foreplay, but yes."

Then he dragged his fingertip up, and she could feel it was slick from where he had been touching her. She felt uncomfortable with how slick she was, and she wondered if she was _too_ slick, if he didn't like that.

"What's wrong, Nan?"

Her hips rocked once as he dragged it back down again. "Is it... bad, how wet I am?"

He shook his head. "More is better than less," he told her. "Much, much better. Especially with how tight you are."

"Is _that_ bad?"

He smiled at her again. "No, baby," he said, shaking his head. "It's not bad. Don't worry."

"I just... I'm just afraid there's something wrong with me—I don't know what to do, I don't know... I didn't even know where my..."

Ned leaned down and gently kissed her as she trailed off. "That's why we're learning," he reminded her gently. "And there's absolutely nothing wrong with you. You're not weird or strange or different. You feel so good, Nan."

She relaxed marginally, only to cry out loudly when he drew his fingertip back up, just inside the slick press of her inner lips.

"And this, beautiful, is your clit," he murmured, his voice low, and Nancy dug her nails into his shoulder blade as he brushed it again. "You like that?"

Oh God. Oh _God_. She had thought she was going out of her mind the last time they were in bed together, but that was _nothing_ compared to this. She felt desperate, coiled tense, and she gasped in her breaths, her wide eyes locked to his. " _Ned_ ," she moaned.

"A lot of women," he told her, his tone damnably even, "can come just from clit stimulation... Harder?"

She bucked, and the low growl of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. "God," she moaned, and when he stroked her a little harder, she sobbed.

"Oh God, oh _fuck_ , that feels so— _Oh!_ " She cried out even louder as he circled it with his thumb, then moved his fingertips down, caressing what she knew now was the opening of her sex. He slipped one fingertip just barely inside her, rubbing the tip of his thumb against that slick nub of flesh he called her clit, and God, she opened her legs wider, moving restlessly against the sheet.

"Good?"

She nodded rapidly, and he kissed her again as he kept stroking and caressing her. She ground her hips up against his hand, feeling desperate and wanton, flushed and incredibly sexy. She felt like she was going to come out of her skin.

He kissed her again, again, and she dragged her nails down and up his back, pressing her heels to the mattress so she could use the leverage to rock harder against him.

Ned kissed his way down her neck, then sucked hard against it for a second. She was panting for breath, and he was corkscrewing his fingers around the inside of her sex, brushing her clit more rapidly. A desperate moan was building in her chest, and when he nuzzled against her right breast, she felt a burst of arousal so intense she writhed under him, sobbing.

"Oh my God, oh my _God_ ," she whimpered, squeezing her eyes tight shut. "Shit, _Ned!_ "

"Yeah, sweetheart?" He was finally panting, and his side brushed against her as she dug her nails into his back again.

"Ned, oh _God oh God ohhhhhhhhhhh—_ "

And then he flicked the very tip of his thumb hard over her clit—

She screamed, arching so the crown of her head was against the pillow, thrusting her hips up to meet the stroke of his fingers, and he just _kept_ touching her, stroking her and then flicking the tip of her clit again.

She was going to lose her fucking mind at how incredible it felt.

"Yeah, baby," Ned growled, and she felt that hollow deep between her legs clench around his fingers, pulsing hard. "Oh yeah. Good?"

"Oh fuck _yes_ ," she screamed, and she was sobbing out his name. "Oh my God _ohhhhhhh, oh my God_ , so good, _sooooooo_ —"

She squealed, bucking hard against him as he pushed his fingers deep inside her, and it felt so fucking amazing that she was pretty sure she blacked out for a second. He was all she could feel, all she knew, all she wanted, and she had never felt anything so perfect in her life.

"Mmmmm," Ned moaned. "You just came, sweetheart."

Nancy was panting as she brought her chin back down, her hazed eyes seeking his. She couldn't move, otherwise; she felt powerless and entirely at his mercy. He stroked her a few more times, then began to scramble off the bed.

"Ned," she panted. "Are you about to—"

"Yeah," he said, his brow furrowed. "I'll be right back, babe—"

She shook her head. "Stay," she whispered, then swallowed. "Let me watch, please?"

He nodded, and as she trembled with the aftershocks of her orgasm, sprawled naked in his bed, she watched him stroke his cock with the same fingers that had been buried inside her, and soon he was gleaming from the trace of her arousal. His fist moved rapidly, roughly, up and down his cock, and it made a wet rhythmic sound as he jerked himself off. Finally he let out a low cry, and she tensed as she watched him reach his own orgasm, both of them panting.

Her gaze went from his cock to his face. He looked entirely sated and spent, and he just stood there for a moment, breathing heavily.

"I'll be right back," he murmured again, and went to the bathroom. Nancy had finally recovered enough to stretch, reveling at how good it had felt to finally, after so long, release the tension their intimacy had teased to life in her. She didn't quite feel sore between her thighs, except maybe a little; she was more _aware_ than anything else, and she could feel the trace of something slick between her thighs.

She made a face and reached for the box of tissues at his bedside, wiping her thighs and throwing away the tissue before she started searching for her panties. She slipped them back on, along with her gown, and when Ned returned from the bathroom, she was on her side of the enormous bed, under the covers.

"Ned?"

"Hmm?"

"I take it back."

He turned off the bedside lamp, then pulled her into his arms, their legs tangled up together. "Take what back?"

"Louis definitely can't have me," she told him, snuggling against his chest, and she felt the vibration of his chuckle rumble between them. "That was amazing. It felt so, so good..."

He dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "I'm glad, sweetheart," he murmured. "And when you're ready, I'll do that again—with my tongue and teeth and lips."

She shivered. "I can't imagine anything feeling better than what you just did to me," she admitted. "I have never felt anything like that before."

"Mmm. Baby, I can't wait to show you everything, to find every way I could please you..."

She tipped her head back, her lips grazing his jaw. "Me too," she whispered, and he squeezed her a little tighter.

\--

Later that night, after they had drifted off in each other's arms, she woke to feel him hard against her. He was gently stroking his hand down her back, and when he moved to kiss her, she rolled onto her back and he rolled with her.

And he rubbed against her through their clothes, until he brought his hand down and slipped it into her panties. This time he immediately brushed his thumb against her clit, curling his fingers in her sex, and she clung to him, panting against his skin. Her climax came more easily, and she felt so slick and warm and spent after. She whimpered when he slipped his hand out of her panties, and when he pulled her back into his arms, she fell asleep again almost immediately.

The next morning, though, he stripped both of them naked again before slipping his fingers inside her, and he had his head propped up on his hand as he gazed down at her. The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, and Nancy was just mewling and writhing under him in pleasure when they heard the door of the apartment open.

"Shhhh," he murmured, when she tensed up. "Shhhh. It's okay. Don't let it go, sweetheart."

"But what if he comes in," she gasped, her gaze wide-eyed as she looked at the door.

"He won't." Ned's voice was calmly assured.

"Ned, please," she whispered. "I can't..."

He sighed. "The shower?"

She nodded, her heart beating a little faster at the thought. While they had been naked together the night before, a shared shower was still something they hadn't done yet.

He brushed his teeth quickly, and Nancy did the same, both of them naked at the sink, as they waited for the water to warm up. He cast a grin at her, and she returned it; he hadn't flipped on the light, and the bathroom was flooded in the cool blue shadow of the indirect sunlight.

When they were under the spray together, she let him rinse his hair first, since it wouldn't take as long, and just stood, gazing at him. She was fascinated by the sight of him, and her eyes traced every bit of him, his naked chest and hips, the trail of fine dark hairs beneath his navel.

He caught her looking at him and grinned, and, embarrassed, Nancy shied her gaze away. "Hey," he said softly. "It's all right. You can look at me if you want to. I'm definitely going to take advantage of the opportunity to look at _you_."

She turned toward him again, then raised her eyes to his face. "You look so different from me," she whispered.

"Good," he said with a smile, and took her hand. "Now, should we finish getting dirty before we clean up?"

She nodded, biting her lip, and let her palm drift down his naked hip.

"Do you want to touch me, sweetheart?"

She hesitated. "If I do, is it going to make you..."

Ned gave her a small smile. "I don't know what kind of guys you've been dating, if they've told you that they can't stop. Whatever you want to do is fine with me, and wherever you want to stop is fine with me too. If we go too far I'll need to... relieve the tension, but otherwise, no, I'm not going to fuck you against the side of the shower if you touch my cock. Unless you want me to."

She knew she was blushing again as she glanced up at him. "Okay," she said softly, and when she gently ran the backs of her fingers over the saddle of flesh just above his erect cock, he sucked in a swift breath.

"Mmm," he murmured, and when she wrapped her fingers very gently around him, feeling how hot and firm he was, he made a soft encouraging noise. "That feels so good, baby," he told her.

Nancy flushed. Even though his voice was quiet and would easily be drowned out by the shower, she was still irrationally worried that Louis would hear them. "Later tonight, can you show me how to... to make you come?" she whispered, then let her gaze rise to meet his.

He nodded. "I'd love that," he murmured, and she gently rubbed the heel of her hand down the underside of his shaft, feeling the texture and heat of his skin. Her fingertips grazed the skin hanging beneath, and Ned wrapped his arm around her waist, his breath coming out in a soft sigh.

"Mmm." His lips grazed her temple, and he swung her around so she was under the shower head, the water streaming over her hair as she trembled. He ducked in to kiss her earlobe, and she could feel his hips gently rocking as he responded to her slow, hesitant touch.

"I love you," he breathed, soft as a secret.

She still couldn't believe how incredibly happy she felt every time he whispered those words to her. "I love you too," she whispered, smiling.

Then he slipped his hand between her legs and she closed her eyes, her mouth falling open as he began to gently stroke her again. The arousal she had been feeling when he had been touching her in bed had almost fully dissipated, but as soon as his thumb grazed her clit it rushed back, just as strong as it had ever been. "Oh," she moaned, forcing herself to be quiet, and pressed her face against his chest.

"Mmm. Not quite so hard, Nan," he murmured, and she released him with a gasp, flushing again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Dig your nails into my back if you need to. I like it when you do that."

She tipped her head back to give him a smile as she wrapped her arms around him, and she felt incredibly wanton as she bent her knees, parting her legs to give him better access to her. He kissed her temple as her hips rocked against his hand, and she could feel his breath against her wet skin.

"Do you like this, baby? Do you like it when I make you come?"

"Yes," she moaned, her lashes fluttering down, and she gasped when he shifted and pinned her bare back against the cold tile of the shower wall.

"Tell me how it feels." His voice was a low, rough growl that sent a shiver down her spine.

"So good," she whimpered. "Oh God, so good... I never want you to stop, oh God..."

"I want to be the only man who ever touches you this way," he growled, and she panted, sobbing in pleasure as he made his strokes harder, quicker. "The only man who ever feels you come. I want you to be mine, all mine, Nancy. I want you so much..."

"I want you too," she sobbed, her brow knitting at the pure, almost painful bolt of desire and arousal that was rising in her, and she tipped her head back, her hips bucking. She threaded her fingers through his wet hair, her other hand gripping his back tightly, her nails digging into his flesh, and then he kissed her, his fingers plunging deep inside her as he roughly fondled her clit.

And she gave herself over to it, trembling and writhing against his touch as she came. Her hips and shoulders jerked, and she felt him groan into her mouth as her slick inner flesh clenched tight around his fingers, pulsing hard. Her breath only came in soft begging sobs, and with every stroke of his fingers inside her, she thought she was going to die at how amazing it felt.

Then he lowered his head to her shoulder, sucking against the point of her shoulder and neck, and she cried out when he switched to his other hand, still fondling her. "Ned," she sobbed against his chest. "oh my God, oh, oh _God_..."

His voice was a quiet, demanding growl. "Beautiful girl," he whispered. "So beautiful. You feel so good, baby."

She had no idea it was possible, but he made her come again, hot on the heels of her first orgasm. Her eyes rolled back as she arched against the cool tile of the shower, gripping his forearm, and when he gently pinched her nipple she let out a high soundless scream, her head whipping back and forth. Her skin was so incredibly sensitized that she could feel each individual stream of water against her shoulder, each drop as it cooled on her skin, and every place her flesh came into contact with his tingled with arousal.

She gasped out his name, and when he finally slowed, then stopped, Nancy collapsed to the side of the shower, depending on it entirely for support. Her eyes were closed, her inner flesh was still throbbing and weakly clenching, and her lips were parted as she tried desperately to catch her breath.

She could hear Ned frantically touching himself, and when his lips touched hers, without thinking about it she returned the kiss, bringing her hand up to rest against his hip. His lips were demanding against hers, and she felt so weak, loose-limbed and sated and almost drunk.

Ned came, going rigid, his lips stilling against hers. She kept her palm gently stroking up and down his hip, and heard him panting. Before she opened her eyes, she swallowed hard. Her knees still felt weak.

She couldn't believe Bess had told her that her first experience with sex would most likely suck. He had been incredible, he _was_ incredible, and she had no doubt that when they took that step, it would feel good.

God, she wanted to have sex with him. Not yet, not anytime very soon, but she wanted to have that experience with him.

Ned was smiling when he brushed one last kiss against her lips, and then they found their bottles of shampoo and began to wash off the sweat and lingering traces of their arousal. Once, he surprised her by dropping a kiss between her shoulder blades; once she pressed herself tight to him from behind and embraced him hard, resting her cheek briefly against his spine.

He climbed out of the shower first, and brought over a warmed towel for her. It felt outrageously decadent now, but she couldn't even imagine how glorious it would feel in the height of Illinois winter.

She was still drying her hair when Ned finished toweling himself off, and glanced toward the door. Nancy took a breath, then reached over and touched his hand. He glanced back toward her.

"I... I want that too," she told him, searching his eyes. "I want you to be my only too."

He gave her a slow, achingly genuine smile, and leaned down to give her a kiss. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

Her stomach flipped as she closed her eyes. "I love you too," she whispered.

\--

At six-fifteen, Nancy went into the bedroom she and Ned shared, then into the bathroom. Their toothbrushes were resting together in a tumbler between the sinks, and she couldn't help it; she just looked at it for a minute with a small smile, her heart beating faster. Then she raised her eyes to the mirror to check her reflection.

Bess and George had seen her a thousand times before, and she knew they wouldn't really mind what she looked like. They had seen her in her pajamas, in total disarray after a scuffle with a villain, and every possible state inbetween.

But they hadn't met Ned yet, and she really, really wanted them to love him. She wanted them to see how amazing he was and be happy for her. She was sure, though, that no matter what their opinion of Ned, they would both be blown away by Louis's cooking.

She knew just as firmly that their opinion of Ned wouldn't change the way she felt about him. She hadn't arranged a meeting between Ned and her father yet, or Ned and Hannah for that matter; Bess and George were the first important people in her life that Ned would be spending any significant length of time talking to. It would hurt her if Bess and George didn't like him, it would hurt her if Hannah didn't like him, and she would be so sad if her father didn't like him. She wanted so, so badly for her father to approve of her relationship with him.

But she couldn't let Ned go. Every fiber of her being was telling her that Ned had been right when he had told her that their relationship could be one of the most important in both their lives. She wanted to spend every possible second she could with him, and she had never felt that way about anyone else, ever. And she knew that she would love him and want to be with him forever, regardless of her father's cautions or anyone else's opinion of their relationship.

She hadn't realized how much the thought that their relationship might not be exclusive had disturbed her until he had assured her that he wasn't going to cheat on her. Bess and George had already teased her a few times that Ned was just her new flavor of the week, the latest guy in a long series of guys who would soon bore or tire her and be discarded, and while she did flush when they said that, she just shook her head.

They could tease her all they wanted. They would see how serious she was about him soon enough. Despite the relatively brief length of their relationship so far, she had already been committed to him longer than she had to anyone else.

When Nancy walked out of the bathroom, she had to laugh. Ned was giving himself a quick once-over in the large mirror mounted on the inside of the door of his walk-in closet. He glanced over at her, his own face lighting up in a grin.

"What are you laughing at, sweetheart?" he asked, coming over to her and wrapping his arms around her, sweeping her up. He nuzzled against the join of her neck and shoulder, and Nancy squealed, trying to squirm away from him.

"Nothing, nothing!"

"Mmm-hmm. That's what I thought." He kissed the soft place just beneath her earlobe, and she shivered.

When he finally put her down, she smoothed the skirt of her dress, a soft delighted flush in her cheeks. "You look so handsome, Ned."

"Thanks. You look gorgeous, baby."

Nancy went into the dining room, looking around. Louis had insisted to Nancy that he was more than happy to handle the entire dinner party with no problem, but she had begged him to let her help a little. She was accustomed to helping Hannah in the kitchen, even if her repertoire was small. Hannah most often relegated her to setting the table or helping with side dishes, and so Nancy had set the table with five place settings.

Louis had been bemused when Nancy had told him that he was definitely invited to the dinner party as well. While Ned was friendly with Louis, Nancy had a much closer relationship with Hannah than Ned had with his chef, and when Nancy had asked, Ned had given her his blessing to invite Louis.

Maybe it was due to the role Hannah had in the Drew household, but Nancy couldn't imagine asking Louis to help her and Ned throw a dinner party and then _not_ invite him, when he had made them such amazing food so many times. She would never have dreamed of doing that to Hannah.

And, in a way, Louis was the most familiar with Nancy and Ned's relationship. Often in the mornings he had seen them walk out of Ned's bedroom together; he had made them breakfast, wished them goodnight, and talked to them inbetween. He was the person closest to Ned that Nancy had met, and more than that, she genuinely liked him.

She was also incredibly glad that he didn't make any comment on their relationship. She knew Ned was much more comfortable with sex than she was, _infinitely_ more, but she had been so mortified at the thought that he might have overheard them in bed that morning. When Louis had greeted them without any sign of self-consciousness, she had relaxed and squeezed Ned's hand.

Everything in the dining room looked perfect, though. Nancy made a minute adjustment to one of the cloth napkins, then gave the table a little nod.

From the other room, she heard the handset give an unobtrusive ring. Ned didn't have a land line in his Chicago apartment; the handset was just a direct line to the doorman.

"They're here, sweetheart."

Bess had texted Nancy when she and George had left River Heights, so Nancy had been counting down in her head; she was very familiar with how long the drive took. She almost skipped into the living room, and Ned laughed when he saw her. She reached for his hand and he squeezed it gently.

What she had realized about him during their time together was that while Ned was incredibly handsome, what she found even more appealing and honestly seductive about him was his self-confidence. He didn't get uptight about much, and she supposed that was partially because he had enough money to eliminate most of the inconvenience of daily life.

That had also meant, though, that when he had seen her in danger at the end of her investigation into Kate Gordon's death, it really had shaken him to the core. He couldn't always be there with her; he couldn't use his money or influence to surround her with an invisible wall of permanent protection. In his work, his investments and other partnerships, he was totally in control and assured.

Nancy was his vulnerability. She was his weak spot, and in a way he was hers. No other man had ever come so close to her or managed to get so far past her defenses, and when they were close, she could hear a note of something like pleading, something almost like desperation in his voice.

And she felt the same. That small voice of reason at the back of her head, the one that cautioned her that their relationship was moving too fast, told her that she couldn't know yet that he was the one. Regardless of her body's immediate and perpetual response to his, if she was ever to find a man who could truly be her partner, it would take more than the time she and Ned had been able to spend together to know if it could be forever.

The thought that they could ever break up, though, filled her with despair. She felt like she had only just found him. She _needed_ the rest of her life with him. Even though the prospect made her nervous, the alternative was unconscionable.

When the doorbell rang, Nancy walked to the door with Ned, and held his hand as he opened it. "Good evening," he said, smiling at Nancy's friends.

"Good evening," Bess replied with a smile. Her blonde hair fell in a straight, shining curtain past her shoulders, and she wore a coral-colored dress made of soft brushed cotton and a pair of espadrilles.

"Good evening," George chimed in. She wore a mint-green halter top and a pair of straight-leg jeans, and Nancy smirked a little when she saw a trace of mascara and lipstick on George's face. Bess's influence, no doubt.

What she loved about her two best friends was that, while they were so very different, they were both comfortable in what they had chosen. Bess wouldn't have dreamed of leaving the house in anything less dressy to meet Ned, and she carried a small chain-strap purse with a designer name on it. George, on the other hand, would have been uncomfortable as hell in a preppy sundress, and while her sandals were cute, they were also utilitarian.

"Ned, these are my best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne," Nancy introduced them, and each of the cousins nodded as Nancy said her name. "Bess, George—this is Ned Nickerson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ned said, and his smile was easy, his hand still in Nancy's.

"And I've been dying to meet you," Bess told him honestly, her blue eyes fixed on his face. "Nancy's told us a lot about you."

"All good, I hope," Ned said, and closed the door behind them. "Would you like a tour?"

Bess nodded. While she was trying to act nonchalant, Nancy could tell that Bess was impressed by the apartment, just as she had been when Ned had taken her on the tour.

Bess and George made appropriate noises in each room, but Nancy blushed a little when they walked into the master bedroom and Bess shot her a significant glance. She clearly remembered Nancy's description of what she had found in Ned's room in New York, and even though Nancy knew Bess couldn't know what she and Ned had done the night before and that morning, she still felt a little self-conscious. Bess was so much more experienced than Nancy was, and a part of her wondered if she would somehow be able to sense what had happened.

George sniffed appreciatively when they neared the kitchen again. "Something smells amazing," she said.

Nancy's eyes sparkled as Ned seated each of her friends, then her, and she glanced at Bess and George. "Louis has really outdone himself," she told them. "He let us taste the menu last night, and oh my God..."

"You'll enjoy it," Ned said with a smile.

Then Louis appeared. "Good evening," he said, and Bess and George turned to look at him.

"Louis, these are my best friends—Bess Marvin, who is closest to you, and George Fayne."

"A pleasure to meet you both," Louis said with a smile. "I hope you enjoy the meal. To start, oysters on the half-shell with a mignonette sauce."

Nancy didn't miss how Bess's gaze lingered on Louis whenever he was in the room, and while she and George both engaged Ned in energetic conversation, Bess also kept asking Louis questions about himself, teasing him that she really needed to be friends with him so he could give her all the blackmail material on Ned.

When Louis had cleared the plates from their grilled pineapple-glazed quail with couscous and was in the kitchen about to emerge with the next course, Bess leaned forward, gazing directly at Nancy. "You never said how totally cute Louis was!" she whispered, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Sorry," Nancy whispered back, aware that Ned could easily hear them. "It was touch and go for a while, but Ned made me promise I wouldn't fall for his chef."

"You want me to put in a good word for you?" Ned whispered to Bess, and Bess flashed a flirty grin at him.

"You handsome devil," she whispered.

"Do you _really_ think he can't hear us?" George whispered, rolling her eyes. "Come on." In her normal speaking voice she added, "That quail was one of the best things I have _ever_ tasted."

Bess nodded eagerly, especially once Louis came back in with their next plates. "It was magnificent."

By the time Nancy had scooped up the last bite of her chocolate mascarpone cake with vanilla caramel and mint-dark chocolate sorbet, Nancy knew much more about Louis than she had at the beginning of the evening. Louis had sidestepped Bess's question about whether he had a girlfriend in New York, but Bess had asked him when he had known he was meant to be a chef, and where he had learned to cook. Bess had been typically self-depricating when it came to her pastry experience at Chef DuPres's cooking school, but Louis's eyes had lit up with interest when she had talked about it.

Between the two of them, Ned and Louis explained how he had come to work for Ned. Louis had been working hard as a sous chef when a brilliant but temperamental chef he knew had invited him to come work at a new restaurant. The dishes Louis had been able to create and help create had been nothing less than sheer perfection, and Ned had come in with a party one night. He was blown away by the meal he had, and had presented his profuse compliments to the chef. When the restaurant had gone under three months later—the executive chef was brilliant when it came to cooking, less so when it came to the business side of the restaurant—Ned had immediately done everything he could to contact Louis and persuade him to become his personal chef.

Ned didn't have many vices that Nancy knew about, but she did know that he valued eating well, and hiring Louis had been a major accomplishment in Ned's book.

Bess sat back, ruefully rubbing her belly, after the meal. "That was, by far, the most incredible meal I've ever had," she groaned. "Oh. Oh, Nan, how the hell are you able to fit into anything anymore, with that man around most of the time?"

"It is hard," Nancy said, her eyes sparkling. "The personal gym helps."

"Oh, like you need _that_ ," Bess scoffed, then cast a slightly teasing glance in Ned's direction. "I'm sure you find plenty of ways to work out that don't involve any boring machines."

Then Ned suggested that they go to the living room, and Bess collapsed to the overstuffed couch with a sigh. George settled at her cousin's other side, and she slipped out of her sandals before tucking her feet up under her.

"So, Ned," George began, looking over at him, "where do you see yourself in five years?"

Ned smiled. "Professionally, or personally?"

"Either. Both, I guess." George crossed her arms over her chest, her dark eyes fixed on him.

Ned let out a quiet sigh as he considered, and Nancy smiled happily as his arm slid around her. "Hmm. Thirty-two. Professionally, I hope I'm in a similar position to the one I hold now, and that I'm able to find some new projects to invest in. Honestly, though, I've never had much trouble when I've started looking for great ideas—the trick is to narrowing it down to the ones that are feasible, the ones that really have a future.

"Personally... five years from now, I'd like to be settled down, probably. If I found an amazing woman who wanted to share her future with me, I'd hope she would want that too."

His arm tightened around her a little, and Nancy swallowed, reminding herself that they would move exactly as fast, or as slow, as she wanted. In five years she would be twenty-five, graduated from college, hopefully settled into her career... but she had never really tried to see beyond those goals. Not until recently.

"But you've had a lot of girlfriends," Bess said, and her arms were crossed too. The color in Bess's cheeks was a little higher, thanks to the wine the four of them had been served with dinner. "And you're a super eligible bachelor—"

"Not anymore," Ned commented mildly.

Bess's eyebrows went up, and she glanced between the two of them. Nancy supposed that, while she had told them she was Ned's girlfriend, Bess hadn't exactly interpreted that to mean either of them were exclusive. And, given her track record, she wasn't too surprised by that. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can't imagine it would be hard for you to find an amazing woman who was interested in you."

Ned shrugged. His fingertips were gently stroking up and down Nancy's upper arm, sending a tingle of awareness down her spine. "Before this summer I would have agreed with you," he said. "And I've been very lucky in my life. I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of fascinating people.

"But that's not the same..." He smiled. "I've been infatuated before, but it's never lasted. I don't think infatuation is meant to last. I think some women I've met have been more attracted to my money and my lifestyle than _me_ , and I've met some women who were charming in public, and much less so in private.

"But, Nancy..." He glanced over at her. "Nancy is unlike anyone else I've ever met."

"And you're sure that you're not just infatuated with her? That this isn't going to flame out and you'll just be moving on to the next hot girl who glances your way?" George put in, her gaze still locked to Ned.

"George," Nancy said softly, almost pleadingly.

"It's true," Bess defended George. "You're right, Ned. Nancy _is_ an amazing person. And I, for one, hate the idea that this... well, that she might end up getting hurt."

Nancy shook her head, her palm resting reassuringly on Ned's knee. "Look, it's okay," she murmured.

Ned shook his head, and when he glanced over at her, he gave her a soft smile. "It is okay," he said quietly.

"I can't predict the future," he told Bess. "I might flatter myself sometimes that I can try, but not when it comes to this. I don't know what's going to happen in a few weeks when school starts again, or in a year, or in two when Nancy's graduated.

"But I will tell you what I told her. I signed a year lease on this apartment and I fully expect to sign again for the next year as well. I'm willing to rearrange part of my life because I think—I _know_ , this is important to me. And I have absolutely no intention of hurting Nancy, or of ditching her when the next hot girl walks in front of me."

He shook his head. "I don't know what kind of guys she's dated in the past..."

"Assholes," Bess said frankly. "Or total wusses."

"Of which I'm neither," Ned said. "I appreciate that you're protective of her, and I feel the same way. I'm on your side, guys. In fact, I'm jealous of you two."

"Oh?" George asked, raising one dark eyebrow.

"You've been able to help Nancy out on so many of her cases," he explained. "You get to be there with her. She was telling me about the time when that crazy woman lured you two to Montana for a white water rafting trip..."

Bess let out a dramatic moan. "Oh my God. That trip..." She shuddered. " _That_ is why I will never go white-water rafting _again_."

"You barely did in the first place," George said, rolling her eyes. "Plus, I seem to remember you swearing that you'd never set foot in the state of _Montana_ again, after that one."

Ned drew the two of them into a discussion about some of Nancy's more dangerous cases, and Nancy joined in too, but Bess and George by themselves were incredibly entertaining. Together they narrated some of the adventures they'd had in Europe for Ned, and he listened with interest.

But Nancy looked down at her lap, flushing a little as she remembered the other major part of that summer. Mick Devlin. Mick, a handsome, charming Australian detective, was the only man who had ever proposed marriage to her. She had been infatuated with him, but the thought of spending the rest of her life with him had filled her with panic, even though he promised her everything she had ever wanted: being with him, solving cases, going on adventures and having new experiences. He had been one of the guys who had been sweetly seductive, but in the turmoil of her warring caution and curiosity, she had disappointed him by telling him she wasn't ready—for either a physical relationship, the way he wanted, or to commit the rest of her life to him.

She had wanted to stay friends with him, but after she had refused his proposal, he had basically dropped out of touch, save the random post or message on Facebook. They had caught up with each other a few times, running into each other during investigations, but that mild spark had never really rekindled, at least not for her. He had his own life and she hers, and that was fine with her. If it was meant to be, she had told herself, then they would see each other again when she was finally ready to take that step.

What she had realized was that she wasn't ever going to be ready for _him_. She had never felt for Mick what she felt for Ned; there was absolutely no comparison. Mick's attention had been flattering, his proposal ultimately so, and his obvious infatuation with her had been almost intoxicating, but that was very different from any true connection.

And she hadn't understood. If she had never met Ned, she didn't know if she ever truly would have understood what it meant to feel this kind of love. She would have settled for that paler shadow, and always wondered if there was more.

She reached for Ned's hand and folded her fingers between his, and he gave her a soft reassuring squeeze.

The four of them kept talking, occasionally joined by Louis, and while the signs were subtle, Nancy could tell that Bess was interested in him. All five of them had taken glasses of wine with their dinner, but Bess and George were perfectly sober before they finally, reluctantly, bid Nancy and Ned a good night. Ned promised that the next time he was in town, they would definitely go out again—and with Ned as a member of their party, Nancy knew they would be able to get into practically anywhere they wanted to visit, fake ID or not, and Bess would most likely love to take advantage of that.

But, Nancy had to admit to herself, she was perfectly content to stay in with Ned at his apartment, or to go to the movies, or do any number of things that didn't require Ned's wealth or social status to gain entry. Thanks to her father's name and reputation, very little had been closed to her before, but she disliked the idea of depending on Ned—or, quite frankly, her father's reputation—to do something for her. Accepting the dress Ned had given her had been incredibly difficult.

After Bess and George had left, after Louis had wished them both a good night and assured Nancy that he had thoroughly enjoyed meeting her friends, Nancy and Ned were alone. Nancy excused herself and put on the yellow nightgown again, this time leaving her bra off before she walked out of the bathroom. She caught Ned changing too, and he gave her a smile before he pulled his grey shirt on.

Back in the living room, Ned had poured himself another small glass of wine, but Nancy had switched to diet soda. Ned put his feet up and Nancy cuddled against him, her fingers laced between his and their hands resting on his knee.

"Ned?"

"Hmm?"

She stroked her thumb against the side of his hand. "Can I ask you about something?"

"Sure."

Nancy chuckled. "First—I thought the dinner went pretty well." She looked over at him so she could read his expression and see if he agreed. "I'm sorry they gave you the third degree; I told them to be nice to you..."

Ned smiled at her. "It's okay," he said. "After all, it sounds like you've dated your share of guys... and they're just being protective. I guess I'd feel the same way if I had a sister and she had gotten so serious with a guy so quick."

Nancy tugged the hem of her nightgown down a little. "Are you saying you think we're moving too fast?" she murmured.

"To someone on the outside, probably," he said, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "Between us... no. Not unless you're not okay with it."

Nancy's stomach flipped a little, and she glanced down at their joined hands. "Before... I would have said we were moving too fast," she admitted. "If Bess told me she was moving this fast with a guy, well... I wouldn't be surprised, but I'd be concerned."

Ned chuckled. "What are you trying to say about her?" he teased Nancy a little.

Nancy smiled and shrugged. "Getting intimate with a guy has never been as big a deal to her. She..." Nancy blushed faintly, but she was still smiling as she glanced down. "When I was in New York, I called and told her about the benefit we went to, and going back to your apartment after, and she told me I totally should have just taken you up on that offer."

Ned made a soft sound. "I didn't know..."

"I know you didn't," she said quietly. "But it made me feel good, to know that you... wanted me, that way."

He dropped a kiss on her shoulder. "I'm just glad I didn't scare you away after that."

Nancy took a deep breath. "Something you said last night, and again this morning..." She paused, trying to put her words in order, but she still didn't know how to phrase it indirectly. "When you said you wanted to be the—the only man..."

She raised her gaze to his face, and while she could still see a faint smile there, his dark eyes were serious as they searched hers. "Did _that_ scare you?" he murmured.

She took a breath, then shook her head. "No," she said softly. "I was just..." She made a vague gesture with her free hand.

Ned considered for a moment, and squeezed her hand. "I've never... I didn't want the profile I have right now," he admitted to her. "I didn't get into investing to make a name for myself, or to gain the attention of women who would only really be attracted to my money. I've dated a lot; I don't want to lie to you about anything, and I won't lie about that. I never had trouble finding a date." He glanced down, a small smile on his face. "Some nights all I had to do was look at a woman across a bar, and if she knew who I was and she was confident enough, that was all it took."

Nancy swallowed, keeping her gaze locked to his face.

"It wasn't until fairly recently that I found out some women—they turn it into this bizarre contest. How many high-profile men they can sleep with. Where they can be seen together, how good they were in bed..." He shook his head. "Like I was being ranked. And I suppose that was really no different than what I was doing, just sleeping with incredibly attractive women because I could, without really looking for or expecting anything more. But I also didn't spread the details of my sex life around..."

"And they did?" Nancy guessed, quietly.

"I apparently have a reputation," Ned said, and while she could still see that hint of a smile on his lips, it was a bit more self-deprecating now. "Ambitious, professional women started seeking me out. And I was like a trophy... and I hated that. I hated feeling like I was being judged and found wanting. Like in bed I had to be inventive and a little shocking, and... it wasn't about attraction or physical pleasure anymore. It was like a performance. And they were, God, they were so jaded...

"And I wanted more. The sex just by itself wasn't enough anymore. I wanted to find someone who wanted _me_ , not my money or the cache of being seen on my arm, not a woman who just wanted another notch in her damn bedpost. I wanted someone I could respect and love, who wouldn't be evaluating me the whole time we were making love, comparing me to every other man she'd been with...

"And then I met you."

Nancy stroked her thumb down the side of his hand. "So if you wanted someone who _wasn't_ just out for your money... why the yacht, the dress...?"

Ned gave her a genuine chuckle. "I know, I know. After that vow, and then I met you... I found out who you were, and you already knew all about me. And I just couldn't help it. I couldn't handicap myself. I needed to sweep you off your feet, and I had the resources to do it. I had told myself that I wanted a woman who didn't give a damn about my money—and then I was terrified that you wouldn't notice me otherwise. Because everything I read about you said that you were different... and I thought there was no way you would be interested in just _me_. Even though that was all I wanted."

She smiled at him, her heart beating a little faster in sympathy. "If I had met just plain old Ned Nickerson," she told him, "I probably wouldn't have kept you on my suspect list for nearly so long. After all, you kept contacting me; you wanted to be involved in my investigation..."

"Because I found it interesting," Ned laughed. "And because it gave me the perfect excuse to be near you, to talk to you..."

"Which was suspicious as hell," she told him with a grin.

"And if you were so suspicious," Ned said, leaning down to brush the tip of his nose against hers, "why did you keep hanging out with me?"

"Because I couldn't stop myself," she admitted softly, her grin fading into a smile. "I don't know what I would have done if you had been involved, and a part of me was worried that you were trying to seduce me so I'd look the other way if I found any evidence implicating you."

"And that wasn't enough to stop you?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't know what would have been enough," she said softly, searching his eyes. "The night of the benefit, I realized that I could fall for you if I wasn't careful. I knew all the reasons it was a bad idea... and yet I couldn't stop myself."

"I'm glad," Ned whispered, and his breath was warm against her lips.

She closed her eyes. "If I wasn't a virgin..."

He cupped her cheek. "When I came up with that stupid list, I hadn't met you," he told her. "I mean, I still want a woman who values me for who I am, not my net worth... but I've never met a woman like you. I've never felt this way about anyone else in my life, and from everything you've said, I think you feel the same way."

She nodded. "I do," she told him.

"And I just... I do want that with you, and I'm sorry if saying it scared you. I just... I want you to feel the same way about me that I do about you. When I touch you, I love that you're not comparing me to anyone else..."

"And are you comparing _me_?" she asked, even though she was afraid to hear the answer. "I—I hate that I'm so inexperienced..."

"And I love that you are," he told her. "But I love _you_. I'd love you whether you had no experience, or twenty boyfriends before you met me."

She smiled at him again. "So even if you weren't my first..."

"I would want to be your last," he said, and his dark eyes were so intense that it sent a shiver down her spine. "I want to feel that, to know how it is... to not have to say goodbye to someone so very important to me.

"And do you know how much I hate that?" He shook his head. "I feel like any minute you're going to tell me you're totally freaked out and you can't handle— _this_. _Me._ That kind of commitment. It's just that I... I've done what I wanted; I've been wild and reckless and hedonistic. That's not what I want anymore. And I know you told me that we could wait until you were done with college to be together..."

"But that wasn't soon enough."

He cupped her cheek again, his thumb brushing her earlobe. "Being with you, like this, makes me happy," he told her. "Being in a relationship with you. That's what I want. And the only way that I ever compare you to any other woman, is by how incredibly special and lucky I feel to be with _you_. For the first time in my life I... it's important to me. Every aspect of this feels important to me. I want to meet all the important people in your life; I want to know everything about you."

Nancy looked down at their joined hands. "I feel the same way," she said softly. "Hearing about how you met Louis... I loved that. I love hearing stories about you."

Then she swallowed hard. "And when Bess and George were talking about that summer trip we took to Europe..."

His thumb stroked down the side of her hand. "I noticed that they mentioned someone named Mick a few times," he said softly. "And that you tensed up every time."

Nancy nodded. "Um... he and I met that summer, and he was incredible. Very handsome, Australian... and a detective. He and I solved a few cases together, and he—well, Bess and George joked that he followed me around like a lovesick puppy, and I guess he kind of did. He adored me, and that... that can be incredibly seductive, all by itself."

Ned nodded in understanding, his gaze still on her face.

"And then, near the end of that summer... he asked me to marry him. He said we worked so well together, that we could have such an exciting life together... and I knew we would, too. It felt like everything I had ever wanted."

"So what did you tell him?" Ned asked.

"I told him I couldn't," she said, and gave him a bittersweet smile. "I was too young; it was too fast. More than that, though—I was infatuated with him, but when I asked myself if I loved him, when I tried to imagine a life with him by my side, I just couldn't. I didn't want to tie myself down, not to someone I wasn't truly in love with.

"But, Ned... if I'd never met you..." She looked straight into his eyes. "I would have settled, eventually; I know I would have. Because I would never have known what I was missing. I would have just accepted the fact that I would never feel such passion for someone else."

"And you might have settled for this Mick guy?"

"Maybe." The bittersweet smile came back. "He... he took it kinda hard when I turned down his proposal. I've seen him a few times since then, and I know he still has feelings for me, but... it's like the spell is broken, I guess. It was almost like a dash of cold water when he asked me to marry him. It felt so sudden, so out of the blue. He was so much fun to be around, and a great kisser... but I had no idea he was even thinking about that before he said it."

"Ahh."

Nancy reached up and cupped Ned's cheek. "You said you only compare me with other girls when you think of how lucky you are," she said softly. "Ned, believe me when I say to you that the way I feel about you is worlds away from the way I've felt about anyone else. And I feel just as... God, just as totally out of my depth as you. I never _wanted_ to love you as much as I do, but a part of me feels like it was _always_ waiting for this, like I've finally... I don't know, found a place where I almost perfectly _belong_."

Ned searched her eyes for a second, then leaned down and kissed her so softly. "Exactly," he whispered against her lips, just the single word.

She returned his kiss, her free hand sliding into his hair, and as they made out he pulled her onto his lap. His skin was so warm, his body radiating warmth through his shirt, and he slipped his hand under her gown, trailing bare fingers up and down the line of her spine.

They broke the kiss and she nuzzled against his neck, her lips brushing the hollow beneath his earlobe. His hand drifted down and he squeezed her ass through her panties, and she let out a soft sigh against his skin.

God, she wanted him. She wanted him so much.

She pressed her lips against his ear. "Take me to bed," she whispered. "Because I love it so much when you touch me... and I want to be the last woman who makes you come."

He released a soft chuckle, gathering her into his arms in answer. "And I can't wait, beautiful."


	2. Chapter 2

Nancy was on her way to the bus stop after her last class when she felt her cell phone vibrating in her backpack. Stifling a curse, she dug for it, and managed to answer it just before the call flipped over to voicemail. Her heart was in her throat when she saw the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey gorgeous."

Ned's voice was husky and seductive, and Nancy shivered with delight at the sound of it. "Hi handsome."

"Sorry I missed your call. You're out of class now, right?"

"Yep," Nancy confirmed with a smile. Ned had asked what her class schedule was, just so he wouldn't call her during class and interrupt. Even though she was scrupulous about setting her phone to vibrate instead of ring, several students had been sent out when their phones rang in class, and she didn't want that to happen to her on the one day she forgot to turn the ringer off.

"So...?"

Labor Day weekend was coming up, and Ned was planning some surprise for her. He had asked if she was free, and so Nancy had asked her father if he had anything planned for them. Nancy and Ned had spent four days together right before the fall semester started, and Nancy had spent the weekend right before her return to college at her father's house, spending time with him and Hannah before both their schedules became crowded with work and school obligations.

She still felt guilty about missing out on time she could be spending with her father, but the time she was able to spend with Ned was precious. Their schedules hadn't worked together since school had started. Nancy's homework and cases, and Ned's own business responsibilities, had kept them apart for longer than either of them had wanted. He had told her that he wanted them to see each other at least once a month—and neither of them had felt like that could possibly be often enough.

"So I spoke to Dad, and he said he would grudgingly let me spend Labor Day weekend with you," Nancy said, making her voice very serious. "On one condition."

"Oh?"

Nancy's stomach flipped. "Um... he would like you to come to dinner," she said, keeping her tone light. "So we could have dinner with them that Friday, and then be together until Monday."

"Assuming I'm not dead."

"Right," Nancy said, fanning herself as she boarded the bus. "Well, there's always that."

Ned chuckled. "Okay."

"So you'll come?"

"Sure," he said easily. "Of course."

Nancy breathed a quiet sigh of mingled relief and anxiety. "Now, I do love Hannah's cooking, but she's not a restaurant chef like some other people we both know..."

"So we'll be eating at your dad's house?"

"Mmm-hmm. I hope that's okay."

"I get to see where you grew up? That sounds like fun."

Nancy smiled, planting her heels on the floor of the bus as the driver made a turn. The bus was crowded with exhausted, overheated students, and she was keeping her voice down. "Maybe," she murmured.

"And your bedroom?" His voice had dropped to the quiet of her own. "Your sweet lacy little princess-pink bed?"

"My bedspread is yellow, thank you," she told him, making her voice lofty and mock superior. "Not a bit of lace on it."

"Mmm. Sounds like there's only one way to settle this argument."

"Ned," she said softly, her voice chiding. "You know we can't..."

"But that doesn't mean I don't like the idea." He heaved a good-natured sigh. "Now, will you be able to stay with me that night, or will I have to wait until Saturday morning to see you again?"

Nancy closed her eyes. She knew her father was concerned about how fast their relationship was moving, but he hadn't told her that she needed to stop staying with Ned so much—and God, she wanted to see him again, alone, so badly she could taste it. "I'll stay with you that night," she whispered.

"Assuming I'm still alive."

Nancy chuckled. "You will be. Now, Hannah did make me promise to ask you one thing..."

By the Friday her break started, Nancy was practically bursting with excitement. Sometimes she was able to carpool home with Bess and George, but since she wasn't sure about her plans with Ned, the cousins had taken Bess's car home. And she would be able to see him in just a few hours...

She still wasn't sure what his surprise was, though, and the possibilities were killing her. Maybe they would be going to another benefit or fundraiser, and she would see him in his tuxedo again. Maybe they would travel to some exotic, luxurious location and spend Labor Day there. Or maybe—she knew it was almost impossible, but a part of her wondered if he had found a mystery that he wanted them to solve.

When she was with him, though, she felt the same kind of exhilaration that mysteries gave her. It was almost intoxicating. As long as she spent her break with him, she knew she would be happy.

Ned called her when she was on the road between Chicago and River Heights, and Nancy was grinning when she answered the phone. "God, I wish I'd stayed in the city to pick you up at the airport," she groaned. "I can't believe you're so close, and we're not together right now..."

"It won't be too long," he reassured her. "I just have a few things I needed to organize first."

"Now, you promised that you'd tell me what we're doing this weekend so I'd know how to pack," she reminded him. " _The_ dress, or maybe scuba gear...?"

Ned chuckled. "Neither. You up for some one-on-one time, Drew?"

"Oh my God. No Louis?" she teased him. "You do know that his cooking is easily two percent of the reason I love you so much, right?"

"Guess I'll have to settle for ninety-eight percent of your affection, then," Ned teased her back. "I haven't spent a lot of time in the Midwest, so I found a national park that sounds really great. We can go hiking, camp out, horseback riding, that kind of thing. If you're up for the challenge."

"Are _you_?" she replied. "No Louis to cook for you, no incredibly fluffy mattress to sleep on, no cell phone?"

"I, miss, was an Eagle Scout," he told her. "Besides, I've heard I would probably look incredibly masculine and handsome in hiking clothes, and I wanted to test out that theory."

"Let me guess. You bought the entirety of the L.L. Bean catalog."

"All except the lilac women's quilted jacket," he returned. "Thought I'd leave that for you."

She giggled. "I'm in if you are," she returned. "I'll go up in the attic when I get home and find all the camping gear. Unless...?"

"Beat you to it. Seventeen-room tent with a satellite uplink so we don't have to miss any of our favorite shows," he teased her. "No, but I did get a waterproof two-person tent and a couple of sleeping bags. We can buy whatever gear we need in the morning before we head out."

"Sounds great," she replied.

"You're not just saying that, right? I mean, you know I'm happy to spend the entire weekend in bed with you."

"Oh, no no no, Nickerson," she replied. "You promised me flannel and rugged masculinity, maybe posing in front of a few sunsets with that square jaw in perfect silhouette."

"Oh?"

"And I plan on getting them."

"I thought we could do that Saturday and Sunday. Come back Monday and spend the day in bed counting mosquito bites..."

"And kissing them better?"

"Oh, yes, gorgeous," he replied, his voice deliciously low.

When Nancy walked into her father's house, she sniffed the air appreciatively, a bag of dirty laundry slung over her shoulder. Hannah was making an herb-roasted pork loin, and the air smelled amazing. Nancy dropped the bag off in the laundry room, then went to the kitchen.

"Hi, Hannah!"

"Nancy! Just in time. The cake's frosted and ready to go," Hannah said, wrapping Nancy in a careful one-armed hug to keep her apron from coming into contact with Nancy's UC t-shirt and jean shorts. "Happy Friday!"

"Happy Friday!" Nancy replied with a giggle.

"Looking forward to tonight?"

"Mmm. Yes," Nancy said, reaching for her own apron. "Want me to set the table, or work on the vegetables?"

"Both," Hannah decided. "That way we can chat and catch up first."

"Well..." Nancy checked her watch. "How about I start a load of clothes first? You know how I hate using the college washing machines."

"I know. Go ahead."

When Nancy returned, Hannah was stirring the gravy, and Nancy saw a bowl of yeast dough, already risen and ready to separate into rolls for their dinner. Nancy had always loved Hannah's homemade yeast rolls.

And Nancy knew she was being foolish when she worried that Ned wouldn't like Hannah's food. Everyone loved Hannah's food. Maybe it wasn't exotic and artfully prepared the way Louis's was, but it tasted every bit as good to Nancy.

Besides, Ned not liking dinner definitely wasn't the worst thing that could go wrong tonight.

Nancy set the table with just as much attention to detail as she had used for the party at Ned's apartment, then washed her hands and tossed small quartered potatoes and asparagus with olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and herbs.

"Three months."

"Hmm?" Nancy replied, glancing over at the housekeeper.

"You and your young man have been seeing each other since June. That makes it three months, right?"

Nancy blushed a little. They hadn't been official for that entire time, but it was close. "Nearly," she replied, ducking her head. "Do we need another batch of lemonade?"

Hannah chuckled. "Sure. Crushed strawberries in the glasses?"

Nancy nodded, going to the pantry for the ingredients. "You know your lemonade is the best, Hannah."

"Yours is good too," Hannah teased her. "I know your father has been looking forward to meeting him tonight."

"He'll be nice, won't he?"

"I'm sure he'll be as nice as he can be," Hannah reassured Nancy. "But, after all, you are his only daughter. He's entitled to be a little protective."

"Protective is one thing." Nancy shook her head a little so the end of her ponytail drifted over the collar of her shirt. "I just don't want him to scare Ned off."

Hannah chuckled. "If he's been dating you for three months, I don't think a little mild cross-examination from your father would be enough to scare him off. Plus," Hannah pointed out, "would you be happy with a guy who _couldn't_ stand up to your father? Who let himself be intimidated?"

Nancy wrinkled her nose. "I guess you're right," she said. "But Dad can be really intimidating."

"So can you."

Nancy shook her head immediately, but she remembered what Bess had told her. Nancy had always done her best to be as strong as she possibly could be, or to appear that way if she wasn't. And Ned had told her that he'd used everything, his money and influence, to do everything he could to get her attention, afraid that he himself wasn't enough.

She knew that he was. She knew that she found him incredibly fascinating and would regardless of how much wealth or status he had, but he had still felt like he needed that extra little push to make her notice him.

"He must really be something special."

Nancy nodded, smiling. "He is, Hannah. He is so amazingly sweet, and charming, and... oh, incredibly handsome. And he helped me out on the case in New York. Maybe if I tell Dad that Ned practically saved my life, he'll like him a little more."

Hannah shrugged. "Maybe. But handsome, charming men have helped you out on cases before. It's just that, well... you haven't been with them very long after the case was over. Three months? This is unheard of."

"Hey, I was with Don for... a while," Nancy said, cringing a little.

"You mean that perfectly sweet, perfectly boring guy you took pity on when you were in high school?" Hannah said with a gentle smile. "I'm talking about the kind of relationship that might actually _last_ , not high school puppy love. And, honey, I know that you are perfectly amazing and practically perfect all by yourself... but I can't help but think that the reason you get attached to all these young men is that you're looking for something. I just hope Ned's a step in the right direction."

"Oh, Hannah..." Nancy took a deep breath. "He's everything I've ever wanted—he's _more_. He's so much more. And I've never had feelings for anyone like this. I've never... I've never been in love, not compared to this. Infatuation, yeah, but this... I want to be with him every second of every day, and I can't bear the thought of him being with anyone else; I can't bear the thought of being with anyone else myself. I love him so much. And I—I want you and Dad to love him, too."

Hannah smiled at Nancy. "Well, anyone who can make you feel that way about him can't be all bad," she said lightly. "I'm sure your father and I will both love him, if you do."

"I hope so." Nancy reached for her apron to pull it off. "I'm going to go take a shower and put on something nice for dinner, and get some packing done."

"Packing?"

Nancy nodded with a smile. "Ned invited me to go on a camping trip with him over the weekend," she said.

"Doesn't he realize that you run into mysteries wherever you go?" Hannah laughed. "I guess he'll learn eventually."

"That's the beauty of it," Nancy said, and her heart warmed as she said the words. "He was fascinated when he was able to help me out in New York. He understands it, Hannah. He doesn't tell me to stop, just to be careful." She wrapped her arm around Hannah in a gleeful hug.

"Well, that really _is_ a serious hurdle," Hannah commented, returning the hug. "He might just make it after all."

"I really hope so."

Hannah had just pulled out the roast and turned up the oven for the vegetables when Nancy heard the garage door open. She put up her apron and turned back to see her father just coming inside.

"My favorite daughter," he said with a teasing grin.

"Hi, Dad." She came over and gave him a hug. "Need anything? Something to drink? I can take your briefcase for you."

He handed over the briefcase, his eyes dancing. "You wouldn't be sucking up to your old man, would you?"

"Of course not!" Nancy protested with a grin. "I mean, I might beg you to be nice to Ned..."

"When am I not nice?"

"I don't know," Nancy admitted, "but he's the first guy I've ever brought home and he might be the only guy I ever bring home. So please be nice."

"The only guy?" Carson's eyebrows went up a little.

"If you scare him away especially," Nancy said, her tone exasperated, although the color was high in her cheeks. "I'm going to get changed. You look very handsome, by the way."

"And you look great, Nancy. A little nervous..."

Nancy kissed her father's cheek. "Well, this is a very important dinner," she said. "And I want you and Hannah to love him. He's amazing, and—and it would just break my heart if you two didn't hit it off."

"I'll keep that in mind," Carson told her gravely.

Knowing she would be spending only part of the weekend camping, Nancy pulled out her large framed backpack and loaded it with sturdy shoes fit for hiking and clean pairs of socks, ribbed undershirts and t-shirts that wouldn't fade into the foliage around them, and light cotton pajamas. In a smaller duffel bag, she packed a few of the nightgowns she had bought to wear when she was staying with Ned, along with a few other outfits.

Then she looked through her closet and pulled out a short blue dress she had only worn a few times. The hem ended right above her knees, and the neckline was low without being too low. The material clung to her curves and set off her eyes, and Nancy hoped Ned liked it. It wasn't the Oscar de la Renta, but she did love the way she looked in it.

Five minutes before the dinner was supposed to start, Nancy felt like she was about to go out of her mind. She was sitting on the couch in the living room; Hannah had demanded that she sit down instead of wearing a hole in the floor of the dining room or kitchen by her anxious pacing. Her father had his suit jacket off and he had put on a fresh shirt, but otherwise he appeared entirely calm, and that was somehow making Nancy's tension worse. He was seated in his favorite armchair, his feet up on his ottoman, the newspaper open before him as the evening news played quietly on the television set.

Nancy was just making a minute adjustment to the neckline of her dress, her ears straining for any notification from her cell phone, when they heard a car pull up and a door open and close. She jumped up immediately, and her father glanced up at her, a smile on his face.

"I'll get the door," he told her.

Nancy took a deep breath, trying to get her heart to just slow down. Her father and her boyfriend had met before, after all—but that had been before she had spent this much time with Ned. She didn't know why she was afraid that her father was going to bring that up.

The doorbell rang, and Nancy glanced down at her watch. Exactly one minute before the appointed time. She knew her father was impressed by punctuality.

Then he opened the door, and Nancy saw Ned standing there, and her heart skipped a beat. He was immaculately groomed and wore a beautifully cut dark suit with a white shirt, his heavy silver watch on his wrist.

"Good evening," Carson said, and took a step back. "Welcome to my home. Thank you so much for joining us for dinner."

"Thank you so much for inviting me," Ned replied, and when Carson offered his hand, Ned shook it firmly. Then, unerringly, Ned's gaze found Nancy's, and she smiled at him.

"Good evening, Ned."

"Good evening," Ned replied, giving her a slow smile.

Nancy introduced Ned to Hannah, and when they came to the table, Ned pulled out Nancy's chair for her, and Nancy could tell her father had noticed. The drink glasses weren't filled yet, but the pork roast, roasted vegetables, rolls, and gravy were already on the table, and it all smelled amazing. Hannah smiled in thanks when Ned expressed the sentiment aloud.

Then Carson sat forward, looking at Ned's face. "I know we've been formally introduced, but would you mind telling me a bit about yourself, and what you do?"

Hannah began serving their plates while Ned steepled his fingers. Ned and Nancy were seated right across from each other, and Nancy fought the urge to slip her shoe off and brush her foot against his leg under the table. She would be mortified if her father caught her.

"Primarily I'm an investor," Ned told her father. "I graduated from Harvard near the top of my class and made my first investment when I was nineteen. I've been blessed, or lucky, or I have a knack for it—or all of the above. Right now my primary focus is on clean energy and practical technologies to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but I'm always on the lookout for innovative ideas. After all, I may not be an inventor—but I can appreciate a good invention when I see it."

Carson nodded. "And the difference between your age and my daughter's is seven years, isn't it?"

Ned nodded. "Yes," he replied.

Carson paused for a moment, and Nancy remembered him telling her that often during interviews, people who felt guilty or upset or worried about something would fill the silence with excuses or justifications or apologies. Ned accepted the plate Hannah gave him with a smile, then glanced over at Carson expectantly. He didn't rise to the bait.

"Where do you live, primarily?" Carson asked next.

"New York," Ned said easily. "I have homes in France and Los Angeles as well, which I use when I'm traveling in those areas on business or for pleasure, and I recently leased an apartment in Chicago."

"Oh?"

Nancy gave her father a quick glance. She hadn't exactly volunteered Ned's living situation, wondering how her father would react to it.

"The city's beautiful, and it felt like the right time to find a place between the two coasts." Ned sliced off a bite of his serving of pork roast. "And I have become accustomed to a certain kind of lifestyle, and knowing that I would be in Chicago often, spending time with Nancy, I wanted somewhere that wasn't just some generic hotel room. I have a personal chef and he always enjoys having his own kitchen and facilities, which I'm sure you can appreciate," he said, nodding at Hannah. "And might I add, this pork roast is fantastic."

Hannah gave Ned a wide grin. "Oh, it's nothing," she dismissed with a little wave of her hand.

"No, it really is great. Very tender and perfectly seasoned."

"And he would know," Nancy told Hannah. "His chef, Louis? He's totally amazing."

"He is, but I just might have to beg Hannah to reveal a few of her secrets." Ned gave Nancy a small wink.

"And the vegetables?" Hannah couldn't help adding.

"Oh, they're delicious."

"Good," Hannah beamed. "Nancy made them."

Ned raised his eyebrows. "And you said you were only good at setting the table," he teased her.

"I did that too," Nancy teased him right back.

Nancy wasn't sure if her father took pity on Ned or if he had meant to stop the interrogation there, but for the remainder of the meal they focused on the food, which really was great. Hannah had asked Nancy to find out what Ned's favorite dessert was, and when he told Nancy anything chocolate was definitely his favorite, Hannah had found a recipe for a delicious triple-chocolate cake guaranteed to be moist and wonderfully sweet.

And the look on Ned's face when he took the first bite of the dessert made Nancy grin at Hannah in delight. "Oh, that is so good," he said. "Hannah, you and Louis together could take over the world, and it would be amazing."

Nancy was glad that Ned had enjoyed the meal, but she found herself suddenly irrationally jealous of Hannah. She wished that she had been the one who had prepared the meal, that Ned was praising her this way.

Then she shook her head. Nancy knew she wasn't nearly so good a cook as Hannah, and she probably would have opted for some totally unexceptional burgers and steak fries. She was pretty decent at that.

After the meal, Hannah shooed them into the living room so she could clear the table, and as they obeyed her Ned slipped his arm around Nancy's waist and gave her a brief, warm squeeze. "You look beautiful," he whispered into her ear, and Nancy shivered at the feel of his breath against her earlobe.

"And you look very handsome tonight," she replied, her voice as soft as his.

Once she had touched him, she didn't want to let him go, so she sat down beside him on the couch with her hand in his. Carson asked Ned if he would like a drink, and Ned visibly hesitated, but when her father insisted, Ned nodded. Carson poured them each two fingers of scotch and brought the glasses over.

"I'd like to be perfectly honest with you," Carson said, after they had both taken a sip. "And to have the same courtesy. I know many young people of your age have been through a few failed relationships, and I don't recall, while Nancy and I were doing research before our investigation into Kate Gordon's murder, seeing that you had been married before."

"I've never been married," Ned confirmed. "No broken engagements, either. I have had many relationships, a few of them fairly serious, but none permanent."

Carson nodded. "Nancy has just begun her third year of college, and I've told her before that her education takes precedence over—well, relationships in particular."

"I can't argue with that." Ned glanced down at the amber liquid in his glass. "And I respect her judgement and her aspirations, and while I may find the idea very appealing, I would never ask her to neglect her studies for my benefit."

Nancy saw the hint of a smile on her father's face. "Do you foresee your relationship with my daughter lasting through the rest of her undergraduate career?"

Ned took a deep breath, then looked up at Carson. "May I be honest with you, sir?"

"Please do."

"I haven't had much experience with... this," he said, making a vague gesture. "And I know how to perform, to answer the questions correctly... but this is too important to me to just lie about.

"I know the right answer is to tell you that she and I are just getting to know each other, that I don't know. In fact, when Nancy's friends Bess and George asked me where I saw myself in five years, I told them that professionally I would want to keep growing, and personally I would want to see myself settled down with a woman who wanted the same.

"The more I get to know your daughter, the more I want her to be that person by my side. She's like no one I've ever met, and I... I'm utterly devoted to her. I would give her the world if she asked for it; I would give her everything I have, everything I am, without a second thought, if she wanted it. Do I see myself with her in two years? Sir, the thought of _not_ being with her in two years is devastating to me. In fact, once she's graduated, the thought of being able to spend more time with her, to share more of our lives with each other..."

"You love her?"

Ned nodded once, immediately. "Completely," he said.

"And you have a home here in Chicago. A home where you've invited her several times."

Nancy squeezed Ned's hand gently. "Yes," he replied.

"We've danced around it, but—if you're pursuing a physical relationship with her, and, given the amount of time you two have been spending together, I think assuming anything else would be rather naive—what are your intentions toward her?"

Nancy felt strange, listening to them talk to each other the way they were. Ned glanced toward her every now and then, but Carson's focus and his questions were directed at Ned. Nancy supposed that as far as her father was concerned, he already knew her own answers. She had told her father that she had strong feelings for Ned, that she wanted to spend time with him.

But whenever they talked about their future, she and Ned, they talked about forever. No labels, no quantification. Just forever.

"Those are entirely up to her," Ned said, his voice low but firm. For a bizarre second, Nancy was reminded of when she had asked him what he wanted to do to her, and he had turned it back on her, telling her that he only wanted to do what she wanted. Her heart skipped a beat.

"I'm not presuming to read her mind; let me make that clear," Carson said. "But if she decided that she did not wish to marry?"

"That wouldn't change the way I feel about her."

"And if she did? Decide she wanted to marry?"

"Then that wouldn't change the way I feel about her either," Ned said, but Nancy could see the hint of a smile on his face.

Carson swallowed the rest of his scotch, and Ned did the same. Ned gave a little grimace as the last of it went down.

"Dad," Nancy said, as her father glanced at Ned again. "I know we've only known each other for a few months. And I know you only want what's best for me. And... that's what Ned is. He _is_ what's best for me. I truly believe that. He's a good guy."

Carson glanced between the two of them, then gave Ned a slightly apologetic smile. "You're the first man she's ever brought home," he explained to the younger man. "The first person she's felt this strongly about. And I can't help feeling a little panicked. In June, before she went to New York... I didn't have to worry about any of this. I didn't have to worry about her having her heart broken, and sometimes I hoped she wouldn't ever have to go through it. My daughter... she _is_ special. And I always knew it would take a strong man to slow her down long enough to catch her attention for very long."

"Then I'll take that as a compliment," Ned said with a small smile.

"My primary concern is that you're reaching an age where you might be more impatient to settle down, but that Nancy may not be ready for that yet."

Ned glanced over at Nancy, but their gazes stayed locked for a long moment even after she gave him a reassuring smile. "I am more interested in settling down than I have been," he said. "But, as I've told her, I'm committed to her and her alone, and I will move exactly as slow or as fast as she wishes. If I had met her when I was younger, I can't say that I would have treated our relationship with as much gravity, but as we are... I'm not interested in a casual fling. Nor would I demand that she move in with me next week."

Carson seemed to relax, if only fractionally. "All right," he said.

"And, sir, let me reiterate, in a way I'm sure will come off as the worst kind of sucking up... you are a remarkable man, and I would like to prove myself worthy of being your daughter's companion. She's an amazing woman, and I respect her opinion and her desires, and I would rather hurt myself a thousand times over than hurt her in any way."

"Good," Carson said quietly. "Because any man who hurts my daughter won't just have me to answer to."

"He would have me as well," Ned pointed out, his voice just as serious as Carson's.

Then Hannah flipped off the lights in the dining room and joined them in the living room with a smile. "So, Nancy tells me you two have some exciting plans for the holiday?"

They spent a few minutes chatting about their plans, and Hannah asked about Louis and his experience. Ned was sure to compliment Hannah's dinner a few more times, which Nancy knew the housekeeper appreciated. Then, after making Ned promise to visit and have dinner with them again sometime soon, Nancy said they were planning on leaving fairly early in the morning. Ned shook hands with Hannah and Carson again, and when Nancy excused herself to go upstairs and grab her luggage, Ned offered to go with her and help. Nancy shot him a significant glance, but didn't object as she led the way upstairs.

"So this is my room," Nancy said, proceeding him into the room. Her duffel and backpack were ready, but Ned glanced around anyway. Nancy had a few framed photographs on her otherwise clear dresser: one of her parents soon after they had been married, one of herself with Bess and George, one of Hannah and Carson, and a few more with various other friends. Her desk was mostly clear, although she had left her laptop there charging; she didn't see much point in taking it with them when they went camping. Her file cabinet, which held various bits of information from her cases and her equipment, was tucked into the corner. Her bed was made with its white and yellow spread. On the wall near her desk she had posted a map of the world, with colored pins marking locations she had visited, either on vacation or for cases. Ned studied that for a moment, with a smile on his face.

"Hmm. No lacy pink, then."

"No lacy pink," she confirmed with a smile. "Sorry to disappoint."

"Guess I'll just have to settle for some alternate lacy pink."

Nancy blushed a little. Even though Ned had kept his voice down, the low, teasing tone of it hadn't hidden the intent behind the words.

They bid Hannah and Nancy's father a good night and rest of their holiday weekend, and Nancy offered to drive them back to Chicago, since they would be returning there after their camping trip. Once they were in Nancy's car, Ned hooked his finger in the knot of his tie and pulled it down just a little, heaving a quiet sigh, and Nancy glanced over at him with a smile on her face.

"Relieved it's over?"

"Yeah," Ned admitted. "Although it wasn't so bad as it could have been. Do you think it went okay?"

"I do," she confirmed. "And Dad's had a lot of experience with liars, so it was good that you didn't do that. He respects people who tell the truth."

"Well, I did that." Ned sighed again and settled back into the passenger seat. "Mmmm."

"So you sound like you've never done anything like that before."

Ned shrugged. "Well, there's always the awkward meeting of the parents before prom..."

Nancy chuckled. "I can't even imagine that. The second you walked in, I'm sure your dates' fathers took one look at you and wanted to lock their daughters up."

Ned took her hand. "I'm glad your father didn't."

"I'm an adult," she shrugged. "But some girl with stars in her eyes, and you looking totally gorgeous in your tux..."

"You sound jealous."

"I am," she said. "I mean, my prom was okay, but if I'd gone with you? It would have been a million times better."

"Same to you, gorgeous." Ned touched her knee briefly. "And as I was trying to tell you earlier... you are so incredibly beautiful in that dress. I love the way you look in it."

"And it'll look even better crumpled up at the foot of your bed?" she asked, her eyes sparkling as she directed a quick glance in his direction.

"Of course," he said with a smile. "But I'll enjoy the view in the meantime."

"So, where are we going tomorrow? And how early do we need to leave? Please tell me we're not leaving tonight."

"No, no, not tonight. We'll go in the morning. I thought we'd go to the national forest a little over three hundred miles south of here. Have you been before?"

"No..." Nancy did some mental calculations. "Getting there will take a little over six hours... Wow."

"It _would_ ," Ned agreed, "if we were driving."

"We aren't?"

He shook his head. "I have my pilot's license, and my Cessna is fueled up. It'll be about two and a half hours flying, if you're okay with that."

"You have your pilot's license?" Nancy glanced at him again, her face lighting up. "Me too! What did you get your training in?"

They talked about their flying experience and the different small aircraft they had flown, and the pure, unfettered freedom it was. Then Nancy talked to him about her various skydiving experiences, and when they parked at Ned's apartment building and unloaded Nancy's luggage, Ned was shaking his head in wonder at her stories.

"You must be the luckiest girl in the world, to still be alive," he marveled, then smiled at the doorman. "Good evening."

"Good evening, Mr. Nickerson, Miss Drew."

Once the door of the elevator car slid closed behind them, Ned turned to Nancy with a smile. "Have I mentioned how much I've missed you?" he murmured, his dark eyes locked to her face.

"Only every time we talk to each other on the phone," she teased him, taking a step closer.

"Because I've missed you like crazy, and I was wrong. Once a month isn't nearly enough, sweetheart."

"I know what you mean," Nancy murmured.

They were both acutely aware of the security camera in the elevator, so their teasing ended there. Ned keyed into the apartment and put her large backpack down and Nancy dropped her duffel bag, and immediately Ned had her wrapped in his arms as he kicked the door shut behind them. His lips found hers and Nancy slipped her arms up around his neck, every bit of her alight and tingling at his touch. Her lips parted under his immediately and she shuddered when his tongue plunged into her mouth. She felt something firm at her back and realized he had backed her into the wall, his body pressed tight along the length of hers. He moved enough to flip her skirt up, and Nancy moaned when he took the side band of her panties and began to push them down a few inches.

"Hi beautiful," he whispered as he pulled back, gasping a little, his hands still cupping her hips.

"Hi gorgeous," she replied, letting herself slump against the wall. She arched when he ran his fingertips down the neckline of her dress, then hooked his finger in the lowest point and tugged down slightly. He kissed the flesh he had just revealed, and Nancy moaned again.

"God, I've been dying for this," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair.

Ned kissed her left breast, above the cup of her bra. "Are you wet for me, sweetheart?"

"Mmm-hmm," she hummed, her lashes low as Ned's fingers ghosted over the crotch of her panties. She flushed a little in anticipation of being naked with him again.

"Mmm. God," Ned growled as he brought himself back up again, his knee between her legs, and she reached down, unfastening his fly. Ned sucked on her neck, drawing their bodies closer as she slowly unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, then slowly slipped her hand into his pants, cupping him through his underwear. "Yeah, baby," he growled against her neck.

Nancy brought the heel of her hand down the underside of his shaft, toward his body, and felt him tremble in answer. He had showed her what he liked, but she didn't have any lube—and besides, she wanted him to be touching her too, she wanted him to...

Nancy flushed again, her hips bucking when Ned's knee brushed between her legs. Nancy had told Bess generally about their sex life, partially because Bess had practically demanded to know and partially because she wanted suggestions from someone more experienced, and Bess had said it would drive Ned absolutely crazy if she had a bikini wax done. Then she had described to Nancy what that entailed, and Nancy had been incredibly embarrassed at the prospect. Bess reassured her that for the women who did the waxing at the spa, it was like cleaning teeth or doing nails; they didn't see it as anything more than a job. Nancy, though, had been hesitant enough about Ned seeing her naked, and she couldn't bring herself to make the appointment. Maybe eventually, she conceded, but she just couldn't do it yet.

But she had considered Bess's suggestion, and had found a way to compromise.

With another groan, Nancy reluctantly pulled her hand out of Ned's pants, and he pulled back to look into her eyes. His own were dark and low-lidded with desire, and Nancy knew she was panting and flushed. "Let me go get ready," she told him with a small smile.

"Oh, I think you already are," he told her with a grin, and he waited a beat before he released her. She took a deep breath before she picked up her duffel bag and vanished into the master bath. Her hair and dress were disheveled, and the color was high in her cheeks.

Quickly she took her makeup off, washing her face thoroughly, then took out a short black babydoll made of thin, silky material, trimmed in pink lace with a pink bow between the breasts. She put on a black silky thong to go with it, blushing as she did; the underwear felt a little uncomfortable, but it was another thing Bess had sworn Ned would absolutely love.

Remembering what Ned had told her about those other girlfriends he had had, the ones who seemingly couldn't wait to spill the details of their sex life, Nancy had kept her discussion with Bess a little more general. Bess had been so impatient for Nancy to take that step with a man, much more so than Nancy ever had been, and while Ned had been very considerate and conscientious with her, Nancy still wanted to please him any way she could without taking that last step.

Her father, when he had told her about sex, had encouraged her to wait until she was in a committed relationship, preferably marriage, before entering into a physical relationship with a man, and especially before engaging in intercourse. She had completely agreed with him at the time. It just hadn't made sense to her, it hadn't been logical, to be so intimate with a man if their relationship was to be brief.

But her relationship with Ned, they had both said, wasn't going to be brief. Waiting for an official commitment... oh, all her logic and reason and resolution seemed to melt when she was standing in front of him and gazing into those dark eyes, until all she knew was the intersection of her curiosity and his desire. It felt right to be with him this way, and she didn't sense that he would ever intentionally hurt her.

And that, she was pretty sure, was what her father had been worried about. Without asking, he had been asking Ned if Nancy would just be another notch in his bedpost. But she could never believe he would treat their relationship that way, not after everything they had shared, after everything they felt for each other.

Nancy stepped out of the bathroom in bare feet, holding her dress. Ned was waiting for her in the bedroom, already stripped down to his underwear, his erection tenting the fabric in the front. "God, you look so beautiful, baby," Ned murmured, and Nancy tossed her dress onto the low dresser, then smiled at him.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Ned picked her up, boosting her in his arms so she could wrap her legs around his waist, their faces level. "What your father was saying," he murmured, and his gaze dropped to her lips. "I'm going to take this as fast or as slow as you want... and the only thing I ask of you is that if you decide you don't want to be exclusive, that we talk about it. Okay?"

Nancy ran her fingers through his hair, looking into his eyes. "I don't want anyone else," she whispered, and took a deep breath. "You're the first guy I've ever taken home to my father, and I want you to be the only one."

He smiled at her. "Good," he murmured.

Then he carried her over to the bed, and the bedroom door was still open. "Are we alone?" she asked softly, as he laid her down and moved on top of her, his hips between her spread thighs.

"Mmm-hmm." He kissed her earlobe, the point of her jaw, her chin. The gown clung to her breasts but the skirt was loose beneath, and Ned easily pushed it up between them, baring her belly and her silky thong. He worked his way down her throat, and when his hips surged once against hers, Nancy moaned quietly.

"Feel good?"

"Yes," she whispered, reaching down to push the band of his underwear down. Ned chuckled as he took the hint, arching over her so she could continue unobstructed. She moved carefully, remembering how he had winced when she had accidentally caught his erection with the elastic the last time they had been together. As soon as she had pushed it down his thighs, he moved to slip his shorts off. When he returned to her, he was entirely naked, and she could feel him pressed against her, separated from direct contact by only the thin, silky material of her thong.

He kissed her again and she wrapped herself around him, shivering whenever his hips rocked against hers. It made her remember the first night she had spent in his bed, in his arms, and how afraid she had been—but oh, how much she loved it now. It felt dangerous, and she knew she still didn't fully understand what Ned wanted from her, only that he could so, so easily persuade her to cross the line she had laid down for him.

She ran her hand through his hair, arching under him, and Ned brought his hands down to cup her hips. "Mmm," he murmured, breaking their kiss, and she could hear a smile in his voice. "Thong?"

"Mmm-hmm," she confirmed with a grin.

"Oh, baby..." Ned moved back to turn on the lamp, then grasped her hips and rolled onto his back so she was astride him. She tucked her hair behind her ears, biting her lip, and he plucked at the band of her panties. "You look so incredibly sexy."

"Really?"

Ned nodded. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, and when he cupped her cheek, gently stroking his thumb against her skin, she sank down to him, the join of her thighs against his stomach. "You're like a dream come true, and I can't believe you're mine."

"And I can't believe _you're_ mine," she murmured, leaning down to support her weight on the heels of her hands, and gently brushing the tip of her nose against his. Ned reached down and began to inch her gown up again, and she pressed her lips gently to his, swiping her tongue against his. "You are so sweet... and handsome... and amazing..." She punctuated each phrase with another kiss, grinning between.

He pulled her gown up and she moved to let him tug it entirely off, and shivered. She still felt a little exposed with the door open, even knowing that the two of them were alone. He brought his hands up and cupped her bare breasts, his thumbs stroking her nipples, and she ducked back down to nuzzle against his neck. When she moved her hips down to grind herself against his erection, Ned groaned softly.

"You know what's so great about a thong?" he murmured.

"That it's so uncomfortable I can't wait to get it off?" she said with a little grin.

"Is it?"

Nancy tossed her hair, giving him a little shrug. "It just feels weird," she admitted. "I can't imagine wearing one all day."

"It's even sexier to wear none at all," he told her with a rakish grin, then moved his hand between her thighs. "But the best thing about a thong is how easy it is..."

He slipped his fingers down to the narrowest point in the fabric, nudging it aside, then began to gently brush his fingertips against her lips without slipping between. She let her breath out in a soft shivering sigh, her hips rocking gently.

He began to move his fingers up, and then his eyes widened and his gaze locked to hers. "Baby... did you...?"

She blushed a little, and then Ned rolled her onto her back and began to tug her panties down. He let out a much louder groan when he saw the newly shaved, totally smooth and baby-soft flesh between her thighs. "Oh, damn, Nancy..."

"Is it okay?" she whispered.

He nodded as he pulled her panties totally off. "Oh yes, sweetheart. Oh yes. You could've just _said_ you didn't want to go camping..."

She giggled, squirming as he ran his fingertips reverently over the join of her thighs. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"That if we go, this is all I'm gonna be able to think about." He leaned down and kissed the side of her knee. "How damn gorgeous and incredibly sexy you are." He kissed her left inner thigh. "How much I want you naked and under me." He kissed her right inner thigh, a little higher up, and she shivered, her legs fully open to him. She was so aroused that the trace of it was cool against her newly bare skin.

"And... how good you taste..."

A shiver went over her abdomen as she realized what he meant. He had asked her during the last span of days they had spent together if she was okay with this, and she hadn't been ready, not yet. Apparently he was taking what she had done as a sign she was ready tonight.

And she had to admit that while she was nervous at the thought, she was also turned on by it. Everything Ned had done to her when they were being intimate had felt amazing, and the fact that he was willing to kiss and lick and stroke her there...

He took her knees and spread them wide to give himself plenty of room, and caressed her upper thighs as he nuzzled against her lower belly. "Did you do it yourself?" he murmured, and the low growl of his voice vibrated against her skin.

"Mmm-hmm," she admitted, admiring the way the golden light from the bedside lamp played over the lines of his tanned skin, catching in his dark hair. She ran her fingers through it again.

Ned moved over her, his hips between hers, keeping her legs spread as he nuzzled against her left breast. "Did it make you aroused, to be touching yourself that way?" he murmured, then tipped his head back to gaze into her eyes.

"Yeah," she breathed.

"Did you... relieve the tension, baby? The way I showed you?"

She searched his eyes before she shook her head. "I wanted you to do it," she whispered. "I wanted to come for you, with you..."

He pulled her nipple into his mouth and suckled against it hard, and Nancy arched underneath him, tipping her head back as she gently ran her nails against his scalp. He moved to the other, suckling against her harder this time, and he bit her gently. She cried out a little, and when she canted her hips, she felt the tip of his cock brush between her legs.

Her heart started pounding even harder, but she bucked her hips again when he switched off, plucking at her slick nipple with his forefinger and thumb as he suckled against the right one again. Then she moaned as he began to kiss his way down her bare chest, nuzzling and sucking and licking as he went, more and more slowly.

"Is this okay?" he whispered, his thumbs stroking her inner thighs as he perched over her. "Do you want this?"

She took a breath, then nodded. "Okay," she murmured.

"If it doesn't feel right, just tell me," he murmured as he gently parted her inner lips, and Nancy felt so tense and desperate that she could barely stand it. She had been wet as she had carefully shaved herself, imagining how much Ned would like it, imagining him doing something very like this to her, and that arousal had felt like it simmered under her skin ever since.

Then he gently kissed her clit, and she shuddered. Her sigh turned into a loud groan as he flicked the tip of his tongue against the sensitive nub of flesh, and then he began to work his way down, stroking the slick folds of her sex with his tongue and fingers. She could hear herself panting and whimpering as he dragged his tongue against the hollow of her sex, circling it, and she flushed with mingled self-consciousness and incredible arousal.

He worked his tongue inside her, where he had only ever touched her with his fingers, and she sobbed, trembling as he began to stroke her clit with his fingertips, almost teasingly light at first, then gradually harder. She was afraid to move too much, afraid he would stop or move, and God, it felt so, so fucking good.

She could feel his warm breath against her sensitive inner flesh as he plunged his tongue into her, then pulled back before repeating the motion, fucking her with his tongue in a pantomime of their joining. Her fingers tightened in his hair and she whimpered as she circled her hips.

Then he pulled back, and Nancy cried out when he filled the throbbingly tender hollow of her sex with the rapid plunge of two fingers. "Oh yes, baby, so good," he growled, licking her roughly all the way back up.

Then he closed his lips around her clit and suckled against it, hard.

" _Oh! Ohhhhhhhh—Ned!"_

She bucked her hips in time with the thrusts of his fingers, sobbing loudly as he teased and sucked her clit, circling it with his tongue, biting it gently. She arched, digging the nails of her left hand against his shoulder blade as she used the other to hold his head between her legs, and God, she was grinding against him, she was so dirty, it felt so dirty but so amazingly, so fucking incredibly good, what he was doing to her.

"Mmmm," Ned murmured, and ran the edges of his lower teeth against her clit, and she contracted at the twinned pleasure and pain of it. "Mmmmmm. You like this, beautiful?"

"Yes," she sobbed, then jerked under him as he suckled hard against her clit again. He swiped his tongue just over the tip of it a few times and she writhed under him, crying out.

Then he did something with his tongue and she wasn't sure what, but it sent a bolt of incredible arousal through her, leaving her senseless and jerking, her eyes rolling back, every single cell of her body centered on the sensation of him going down on her. Then he switched off, roughly stroking her clit with his thumb as he stroked the entrance of her sex with his tongue.

By the time she finally came, her scream so high it was almost silent, she had arched so the crown of her head was against the bed, and her skin felt flushed and slick, glowing with arousal and exertion. Her fingers were cramped from digging into him, and he gave her clit a few last strokes with his tongue, leaving her moaning and quivering at the sensation. She had no strength, to close her legs or do anything more than breathe, and if he decided to take her...

She shivered at the prospect.

They were both panting as Ned stood on his knees between her spread legs, and she watched him frantically jerk himself off, his fingers still slick with her arousal as he ran his fist up and down his cock. When she imagined him moving inside her with the same speed and roughness, she shivered a little, but she couldn't stop watching him. She wanted to please him. She wanted to give him the same satisfaction he was feeling right now. She wished she had the strength to do it.

Then he came, and panted for a few moments before leaning over to pull a few tissues out of the box at the bedside. He cleaned himself up, then gave her a tissue as well, and she smiled at him in thanks.

They pulled back the sheets and slipped between, both entirely naked, and she let out a soft contented sigh as she cuddled against him, her head on his shoulder. He looped his arm around her waist and kissed the crown of her head, sighing himself.

"Well, beautiful, we'll just have to do this again on Monday..."

"Why Monday?" she asked curiously.

"Because I won't be shaving while we're gone..." He smiled at her. "And I'm pretty sure you will definitely like that. Was what we just did okay?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

She sighed and looked down, then planted a soft kiss against his bare chest. "You made me feel so good, and then I didn't..."

"Return the favor?" he completed when she trailed off, a smile on his face. "Look, it's okay. You're new to all this, and besides, I did that because I wanted to make you happy, not because I was counting on you to do the same thing to me. If you want to try sometime..." He shrugged, then threaded his fingers through her hair.

She made a soft noise and brushed her lips against his nipple. "So you're not... disappointed?"

He shook his head. "No, sweetheart."

She kissed his other nipple, her bare breasts pressed against his chest, her own nipples in tight peaks. "If I want to do that, with you..." A faint blush heated her cheeks, and she brushed her lips against the center of his chest. "What do I do?"

"You kiss and lick and stroke me with your tongue," he murmured, running his fingers through her hair again. "No teeth, though. I know it feels good when I do that to you, but it's too much for me." He made a soft sound, but he didn't continue.

"What?" she said softly, bringing her head back up so she could look into his eyes.

"You haven't done that with anyone else," he murmured, and the faintest question was in his tone.

She shook her head, coloring a little again. "No."

"When I told you I haven't had unprotected sex... that includes oral sex too. You said you were interested in having unprotected sex with me, but I don't know how you feel about not using a condom with oral sex."

She kept her gaze on his. "Well, since I've never done it before..."

He smiled and let his fingertips drift down her cheek. "Most women apparently don't like the taste of cum," he told her. "What happens when I reach orgasm."

"Oh," she said softly.

"The condom would mean that you wouldn't taste it," he explained. "But you'd taste the latex, and apparently that's not all that tasty either. We could use flavored condoms."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

He smiled again. "Depends on the flavor," he told her. "Apparently. But you might prefer to use your mouth on me, and then finish with your hand, and that way you wouldn't need to worry about it."

"Hmm." She pulled herself up, searching his eyes. "What do you want?"

"I want you to have a good experience," he told her. "As long as you don't use your teeth, I'll be fine. But I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you into this, okay?"

"I don't," she told him, then smiled. "You've been really sweet about not doing that so far. I felt bad that I was practically forcing your head down when you were..." She trailed off, glancing away.

Ned chuckled. "Baby, it's okay. It told me you liked what I was doing. Don't worry about it."

She met his eyes again. "So if most women don't like the taste... does that mean that you didn't like the way I tasted? Or..."

He shook his head. "I don't mind it," he told her. "I like the way you taste."

She smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah. On the other hand, guys told me stories about girls going down on them the first time, if they actually let the guy come, they might actually throw up after. Depends on the girl." He shrugged. "It's weird. If a girl doesn't seem to mind it, the guy might think she's a slut..."

"That doesn't seem fair," Nancy pointed out. "I mean, if we did that and I didn't get sick..."

"Well, I'd know that you were either being really nice to me and trying to play it off..." He reached for her hips and brought her a little closer so he could nuzzle against her temple. "Or that you were definitely a keeper."

"Was that on your list too?" she teased him quietly. "A girl who you could train in bed, and who would love the taste of your cum?"

Ned rolled her onto her back, tickling her. "God, you make me sound like some misogynist asshole," he told her. "Tell me you don't really think I'm training you."

Nancy squirmed and squealed under him, trying to get away from his insistent fingers, and their bodies were bare and pressed tight together. "Stop, stop!" she begged him. "No, I don't! I promise!"

He relented, pushing himself up, and as they both panted for breath, their eyes alight, she realized that he was snug against the join of her thighs. He took a breath and moved back, and she felt herself relax; she hadn't even realized she was tensed.

He moved onto his back again, and Nancy sat up, shoving her hair out of her face. "But I do feel like you're teaching me," she said. "And I want that. I want to know what pleases you, and how I can make you happy. Because you're the only man I ever want to be this way with, and I want to learn about you. And if that's something you want, for me to do—that... then I hope I can. I'll try."

He just gazed at her, his dark eyes searching hers for so long that she almost began to feel self-conscious about it and hyper-aware of her nakedness. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing a soft kiss against her knuckles.

"You're one in a million," he told her softly. "One in a billion. God, I wish I'd met you a long time ago..."

"Too long ago and this probably wouldn't have been legal," she reminded him, her eyes twinkling.

"Keep talking like that and I'm going to tickle you again," Ned teasingly threatened her. "No, I... I just feel like I wasted so much time. If I'd known that I was going to meet you..."

He stroked her cheek, and she turned her face to press a kiss against the center of his palm. "Don't," she said softly. "What happened, happened; we can't change it."

He studied her eyes for a moment anyway. "I feel like we spend so much time talking about what I want," he murmured. "But what do you want? Did you have some list too?"

She shook her head. "Not the way you did," she said. "But we're about to spend two days camping. Sounds like the perfect time to talk about it."

The next day dawned beautifully clear, and since they were both impatient to get to the park, they stopped for a quick drive-thru breakfast on the way out to the airfield. While Nancy missed having one of Louis's exquisite cinnamon rolls or crepes, she was so incredibly excited about their trip that she didn't really care. Ned's Cessna was absolutely beautiful, and she gave it an admiring once-over before they climbed on board.

They made it to the park before midday, and as they crossed into the lush green interior, Nancy took a deep, delighted breath. She hadn't been either hiking or camping in a while, and she had to admit that she loved his suggestion that they do this. It was an activity that didn't depend on his wealth or influence or reputation—and, she realized, it put them on equal footing, in a different way. It depended only on how physically fit they were, and Nancy had kept up with her regular jogging and exercise sessions over the summer. She was practically bouncing with pent-up energy.

Ned was equally as fit, she knew. A few times she had seen him after he had finished a workout—and she had seen him naked. His sculpted, well-defined muscles were enough to make her mouth water. He wore a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a green plaid shirt with sturdy hiking boots, his framed backpack seated firmly on his broad shoulders. He was carrying their tent and she was carrying their cooking supplies.

They collected a map of the trails, and each of them had a compass. "So," Ned said, holding it up so they could look at it, "what do you feel like? Beginner, intermediate, advanced?"

Nancy looked it over, considering. One of the major attractions of the park was the Garden of the Gods, a series of sandstone rock formations and cliffs. "Why don't we head here first?" she asked, pointing at it. "Then maybe we can hit one of the advanced trails."

Nancy could see a decided twinkle in Ned's eye as he glanced over at her. "Was that a dare?"

"A suggestion," she said sweetly, shifting her pack on her back. She wore a pair of olive green cargo shorts that actually reached her knee, and a blue and white plaid button-down shirt over a ribbed undershirt. On the way in she hadn't seen many other people dressed for a significant hike; most of the women wore jeans or incredibly short shorts that would provide no protection against insects or clinging flora, and flip-flops or running shoes instead of hiking boots.

"Okay. Garden of the Gods, lunch—then an advanced trail."

"Only if you feel comfortable with it, sweetheart."

"Eagle Scout, remember?" Ned retorted with a playfully cocky grin, as he began to follow the correct trail.

"What, ten years ago?" she teased him. "You sure you remember how to read a map?"

Ned shook his head. "Keep it up, Drew," he told her, and she could see an almost dangerous gleam in his eye. "You haven't seen me get competitive yet."

"I have seen you get handsy, though."

He chuckled as he playfully poked her in the ribs. "Anything it takes to win," he told her.

They took their time on the observation trail once they reached the Garden of the Gods, marveling at the formations and reading about how they had come to be. Ned reached for her hand and Nancy let him hold it as they walked, and she felt a burst of happiness. They were walking among other couples and families, and anyone who saw them would know they were together. Nancy didn't miss the admiring glances cast in their direction, most of them by women who were clearly jealous of her for snagging such an incredibly handsome man. They were unlikely to recognize him, and for one of the first times in their relationship, she felt like she was a woman spending time with the guy she loved, not just an object of speculation or envy because she was on the arm of a fantastically rich and powerful man. She liked the feeling.

But his wealth and influence, as he had told her, were never what he had set out to achieve, and she was starting to see the difference between his public persona and his private one. He did what was expected of him, in public and in society, even when he was only around her friends or her family. He had a persona, and that persona was strong and assured and generous.

When he was alone with her, he was still strong and assured and generous—but he was so, so much more. He could be vulnerable too, and he didn't always have to be in control. And as much as she wanted to please him, she could tell that he very much wanted to please her too, to impress her, to sweep her off her feet.

He had done that. She wasn't just swept off her feet anymore. She was totally, completely devoted to him, this man who had told her father that he would give her absolutely anything it was in his power to give her, all of himself, all that he had.

But he was sharing this with her, and she loved that. He could lay a significant portion of the world at her feet, but they were in the woods, just holding hands and marveling at nature.

They stopped for a quick lunch at a designated area near the observation trail, then refilled their water bottles before agreeing on the next trail to take. Finding it wasn't hard, but they settled on a moderate pace to keep from overexerting themselves too early.

They had only been on the trail for a little while when, sensing they were totally alone, Nancy reached for Ned's hand. He glanced over at her with a little smile.

"It's really beautiful out here," he said. "Thanks for sharing it with me."

"Thanks for inviting me," she told him, returning the smile. "It meant a lot to me."

He bumped his shoulder against hers. "So, the ruggedly handsome thing, is it working for you?"

"Very much," she replied, using the same teasing tone he was. "I love a man in a plaid button-down."

"Good," Ned said happily. "And Nan, you know that if there's anything you want to do, anywhere you want to go, I would be happy to take you there."

She looked down, a smile on her face. "It's strange," she murmured, unconsciously.

"What is?"

She glanced up at him, surprised she had spoken the words aloud. "I... Being with you just makes me so happy, and knowing that you genuinely would do anything for me that you could—it's like I've been given everything I have ever wanted, all at once. It kind of takes my breath away, how lucky I am to be with you. And even if you didn't have a penny to your name, I would still feel like the most fortunate girl in the world."

Ned squeezed her hand, pulling her to a stop, and when she turned to him he stepped in close to her and kissed her hard, his other hand coming up to cup her cheek. "And I feel the same way," he whispered, his lips brushing hers after the kiss. "I feel so incredibly lucky to be with you. And I could give you everything—and it still wouldn't be enough."

Nancy shook her head. " _You_ are everything," she whispered, searching his eyes. "You are. And you are exactly everything I want."

He gave her one last long, lingering kiss before they set off on the trail again, their hands still joined. They walked in silence for a while, and Nancy counted her heartbeats, making sure to find her footholds carefully on the trickier parts of the trail.

"Ned?"

"Mmm?"

"You asked me what my list was," she murmured. "And I don't know if you were asking this specifically, and maybe it's not on your mind at all... but your experience doesn't bother me. I'm glad, actually. I'm glad at least one of us knows what we're doing." She chuckled a little. "If anything, I feel a little—awkward, I guess, for wanting to take things slow."

He gently squeezed her hand. "You know I don't mind that," he told her.

"I know. And I'm glad you're being so patient with me." She was glad that she needed to keep her eyes on the trail to make sure she kept her footing, instead of looking at him while they were talking about this. "If I had a list, and I guess maybe I kind of do, at the back of my head... well, I can only tell you what I've learned from all the guys I've dated.

"I've learned that I can't deal with a guy who decides he knows what's best for me when it comes to my career. It's my career, _my_ job, what I love doing. I love helping people when they're in trouble; I love solving mysteries and taking on cases, and I always have. I always will. Anyone who can't understand that about me, who doesn't accept it, won't last long. Is danger a part of it? Do I get hurt sometimes? Sure. But concern is different from—from not trusting me, from thinking that I need to be _protected._ Like I need someone strong to step in and put his foot down. I don't."

Her voice became firm and tense at the end of it, and Ned squeezed her hand again. "I know," he said quietly.

She shot him a brief smile. "I know you do," she said softly, "and I appreciate it. So many guys just don't get it.

"And some guys go the other way. They aren't overprotective; they aren't concerned at all. In fact, the only reason they give a damn about my cases is because they interfere with when we can spend time together. They don't want to help. They want me to leave it to the cops..." She shook her head. "And that irritates me too."

Ned nodded slightly. "Makes sense."

She sighed. "I guess... I want someone who understands what I do, but more than that, understands _me_ and that I don't—well, that investigating mysteries..." She reached up and absently flipped her ponytail, trying to organize her thoughts. "Dating just hasn't been a priority for me," she admitted. "And when a guy says that I'd rather track down some hidden fortune or kidnapping victim than spend time together, most of the time he's right. Because I want a _partner_. I want a guy who will be right there by my side, who isn't just humoring me or patronizing me or arguing the whole time that we should be getting the hell out of there. I want a guy who's willing to talk over my case with me and help me brainstorm and come up with new ideas instead of just rolling his eyes and asking when I can just get it over with so we can make out.

"But... but even that isn't everything," she said softly.

Ned looked over at her, and they walked in silence for a few moments, but he didn't say anything.

Nancy sighed again. "I... There's this guy I've known for a long time," she said, and she could feel herself blushing a little. "My father is friends with his parents..."

"Humphrey?" Ned said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh God, oh no. No. I mean, I have known him for a long time too, and our parents are friends... but the rest of it, no. Not Humphrey." Nancy chuckled humorlessly. "No, I'm talking about this other guy. He's a detective too, and he loves a lot of the same things I do. We think alike, too. He and I can brainstorm so easily, and whenever our paths would cross, I would look at him and think, _This guy is everything I want_. He's tall and handsome, and—he has a crush on me. I've known him for so long, and I'd trust him with my life, if it came to that.

"And every time I'm around him, every time I'm around this guy who is absolutely everything I ever thought I wanted... Well, he has a girlfriend, and he's known her for a long time. She's a really great girl, too. She's sweet and sensible and intelligent, and she loves Frank—that's his name—she loves him so much.

"But even if he weren't with her... God." Nancy shook her head.

"Did this one propose to you too?" Ned asked softly, and she could hear something that sounded a lot like muted pain in his voice.

"No. He didn't. He hasn't." Nancy tugged on her ponytail again. "I look at him and I know what he feels for me, and I do like him. A lot." She swallowed. "And we've kissed a few times, and he's told me that if he didn't have Callie...

"But he does."

"But if he didn't?" Ned said softly. "This guy who is everything you want..."

"Everything I thought I wanted," Nancy said softly. "If he hadn't met Callie, if he and I had met and been free to start a relationship..." She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know what would have happened. But I do know that I don't love him. He's a great guy, and I respect him and I love him like a brother, but—I don't feel that way about him. I think... I think a part of me just reacts to how _he_ feels about me, if that makes any sense. It's like I feel sympathetic, empathetic, _something_ —but what I feel when I look at him is just an echo of what he feels for me. In every sense of the word. It isn't mine, and it isn't as strong as the original, not by any stretch."

"You think that?" Ned echoed softly.

She frowned, trying again to frame her answer. "What I _know_ is that if I felt about him the way I feel about you? That I wouldn't have let anything stand in my way. Not Callie, not time or space or school, nothing. I would have done everything I could to be with him."

"Even though you were convinced that we wouldn't work?" Ned pointed out softly, swinging her hand in his.

Nancy shook her head. "Well, at the time, you and I had just met. I knew that for us to truly have a relationship, we would need to spend time together," she said. "And I seriously thought about transferring to a college in New York so we could do that... but I love UC, and everything about where I am, and I couldn't do it."

"Well, if you couldn't go to the mountain..."

She shook her head. "How could I ask you to do what you did?" she asked, glancing over at him again. "I couldn't. Not just to be with _me,_ not so quickly. And when you told me that you had signed a lease on that apartment... even before that, when you told me that you would come to me, that you would make special trips just to spend time with me—it meant so much to me that you would do that, that I wouldn't have to wait two years to spend time with you again. That you... that you were willing to actually spend time with _me._ I'm just a college student who has an addiction to sticking my nose where it doesn't belong."

"And it's a very cute nose," he told her, wrapping his arm around her waist and squeezing gently. "But no, you aren't. You aren't some ordinary girl. You are an _extraordinary_ woman, and not seeing you as often as I could? Not being with you? That—that thought was appalling. I told you I leased that apartment for incredibly selfish reasons; I couldn't stand the idea that we would be apart so long, so often."

She gave him a grin, wrapping her arm around his waist too. "Even so. Thank you for doing that. I've just... I've never had someone do something like that for me. I got so used to the idea that—that I would have to rearrange my life for someone else, that no one else would want to be a part of my life that way. And then I got used to the idea that maybe I never would find anyone, not unless I was willing to become someone else, this perfect girlfriend... like Bess."

"You mean that you'd have to give up doing what you loved to make someone else happy?"

She nodded, and swallowed when his arm tightened around her. "That I couldn't have both. And I decided it wasn't worth it... but Hannah pointed something out to me. Maybe before it never worked, but when I met you..."

"When you met me what," Ned prompted her softly, when she trailed off.

"Maybe I am strong enough to be by myself," she said, and glanced up at him. "But I _was_ lonely. And the thought of changing what I did and who I was to make someone else happy... it broke my heart."

He kissed her temple. "Well, I promise you this," he told her. "I would never do that to you. Would you march into my office and tell me what investments I should make, and which I shouldn't?"

"Of course not," she said, shaking her head. "You went to school and that's your talent, and I would trust your judgement far more than I would mine on that."

"And that's how I feel," he told her. "That's your talent and that's what you love. And I know not everyone can do what they love as a job, but if you're able to do it, if you're lucky enough that your talents and your marketable skills lie in the same place—I think denying that really _is_ like breaking your own heart, like cutting off some essential part of yourself."

He gave her one last squeeze as they approached a steeper rise. The terrain was becoming more difficult to navigate easily, and they kept on the trail, holding hands when they could. Soon Nancy was perspiring at the exertion, and when they reached a more level section of the trail, she smiled at the peace she felt. Knowing that Ned accepted her for who she was, more than any other man she had dated... she hadn't realized how much that would mean to her.

They had just climbed up another small rise when Ned's fingers brushed her hip. "Nan? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I don't want to offend you. Especially with what we were just talking about."

Nancy raised an eyebrow. "I'll keep that in mind," she told him, her voice even.

"Your major is political science, right?"

She nodded. "Yep."

"What made you choose that?"

Nancy shrugged a little, looking down. "In the back of my mind, I guess I was thinking that I'd like to maybe do something like what my dad does," she admitted. "Poli sci works as a pre-law degree, especially if I don't want to become a defense attorney or focus on criminal law."

"And that's what you want? To be a lawyer?"

She concentrated on her footing for a moment. "I do," she said, with a little nod. "I... I think."

"So do you enjoy your classes? Are those your favorite ones?"

Nancy glanced over at Ned, raising her eyebrow again. "Ned, where are you going with this?" she asked directly.

He gave her a little shrug. "When I was in college, I'm not saying I loved every single business class I took, but I liked all of them," he said. "Sometimes I disagreed with an instructor's approach or philosophy, but I loved learning about it. If I hadn't, I would have tried really hard to find something I loved that would make me financially comfortable. Business management, maybe, or industrial engineering. Honestly, though, I just loved _learning_. I still do. I kind of think it's the little kid in me, meeting with inventors and innovators and just being so totally fascinated by what they're doing."

"Well, that's good," she pointed out.

He nodded. "I like to think so. But my real question, I guess, is... if mysteries and solving cases are what you enjoy, why political science? Correct me if I'm wrong, but generally attorneys hire detectives to do investigations, and prosecutors have the police, and then private investigators can be hired by anyone."

Nancy nodded. "And I'm considered an amateur," she said. "Because I'm not licensed, not a professional."

"But is that what you would really love to do?" His fingers brushed hers again, and she took his hand. "Or do you love poli sci and _that's_ what you want to do? Or do you love them both?"

Nancy was relieved when she was able to use another piece of rough terrain as an opportunity to think. "I don't know," she finally admitted, reaching for her water bottle. "I guess I just always considered my investigations and cases like a hobby. I generally don't take any sort of payment for it; sometimes people offer me gifts as thanks, and that's always nice, but I never really considered it something I could do as a career. Being a lawyer like Dad, or using my degree in another way, maybe..."

Ned shrugged. "I'm sure there are other types of investigators," he pointed out. "FBI or CIA agents, for example." He paused. "I guess what I'm getting at is that, well, if it's what you love, it doesn't need to be just a hobby."

They walked in quiet for a while, and Nancy considered. The day was getting warmer, and so was she, and her thoughts seemed to be going a mile a minute. Ned brought up her next break and they talked about it, but throughout she just felt like he was still expecting some definitive answer. And she wasn't sure what to say.

The trail was leading to higher ground, and all sounds of human activity had been left far behind. Through the trees she could see patches of sky, and after another difficult climb they broke through the tree cover and into a clearing. Nancy could very faintly hear water rushing.

Ned paused, wiping sweat from his brow, and pulled out the map again. "I need to refill my water," he murmured, "and I think I hear something..."

"It's not safe to drink," she cautioned him, remembering a sign they had seen on entering the park.

"Mmm." He located the next water fountain on the map, after they agreed roughly on their location, and when she teased him that he didn't have a GPS on him, he tickled her ribs. She ran a few steps away from him, squealing, her eyes sparkling.

"I say we check out the sound, though," he said, putting the map away.

It took them about half an hour to track it down. A small offshoot of the river had formed a small pool, and they could hear the water rushing over the rocks between. Nancy smiled at the picturesque scene, the sunlight dappled through the leaves and shimmering on the face of the water.

Ned swiped gently at her hip, and Nancy glanced over at him. She was just reaching into her pack for her camera, and she remembered that she had told herself when packing the camera that she would take some photos of Ned and her together, since she didn't have very many yet. But she felt hot and sweaty and flushed and totally unphotogenic, and Ned's face was gleaming with sweat as well.

"Hmm?"

Ned nodded at the small pool. "You game?"

Nancy blinked at him. "You...?"

He began to walk down to the edge of the pool, shouldering his pack off, and then knelt to untie his hiking boots. "C'mon."

"What, you want to dip your feet in the water?"

"To start," he told her, his eyes dancing as he glanced up at her.

Nancy's stomach did a flip, and she put her camera back in her pack. She moved slowly and very cautiously, keeping alert in case any other hikers came along the advanced trail and surprised them, but she hadn't heard anyone near them in quite some time.

Ned pulled his socks off and dipped his bare toes in the water, sighed, and gave her a happy grin. "C'mon, Nan. The water feels so good."

Nancy gave their surroundings one last glance, then slowly shouldered her pack off and sat down beside him. Her shoulders were aching a little, and it felt good to have the weight off them. She had just started working on the laces of her boots when Ned began to unbutton his shirt.

"Ned! What are you doing?" She whispered it, feeling self-conscious.

He shrugged. "Don't know if our campsite tonight will have a shower or not," he said. "Besides, I think we could both use a little break."

He dragged his pack over to some rocks near the pool, within armspan of it, and tucked his boots beneath. Soon he was down to his boxers, and Nancy's feet were the only part of her that was bare. She tried to make herself reach for her shirt, but she felt almost paralyzed. To cover, she dipped her toes in the water—and her tired, aching feet tingled in response. She glanced over at her pack, but she knew for a fact she hadn't packed a swimsuit.

He had already seen her naked, several times. She had been shy at first, but the clear desire and appreciation on his face whenever he saw her that way made her happy, and now she hardly hesitated at all. But this—this wasn't them alone in his apartment, and the thought that someone _else_ might inadvertently see her naked, someone she didn't want to, made her incredibly self-conscious.

Then Ned pushed his boxers down and put them with the rest of his clothes, then lowered himself into the water. It looked like it would be cool and welcome in the heat of the day, and she was a little surprised when he was submerged all the way to the top of his broad shoulders. He took a deep breath and ducked into the water, coming back up with his dark hair slick, and grinned at her as he wiped his face.

"It feels great," he told her. "You sure you don't want to take a little dip?"

Nancy glanced around one last time, frowning. "Oh, fuck it," she muttered, and reached for her top. Ned laughed quietly, but he kept his eyes on her as she hastily undressed. Just as he had, she pulled her pack to within armspan of the water so their belongings couldn't easily be stolen, then piled her clothes carefully beside it. She paused with her fingers on the rear closure of her bra, but she still didn't hear anyone around them, so she quickly divested herself of both that and her panties and hastily sat down at the water's edge, lowering herself into the pool.

The cool water was a shock at first, but a pleasant one. Nancy let out a little gasp as she sank fully into the water; then, just as Ned had done, she submerged herself entirely, letting the cold bathe her flushed, glowing face. She brought up palmfuls of the water to rinse her face a few more times, then tipped her head back until her scalp was in the water. She sighed and brought her head back up, just to see Ned smiling at her.

"See? Not so bad."

"Not so bad," she agreed. She brought her legs up and did a few kicks in the water, wincing as her protesting muscles responded.

Ned moved over to the rock edge of the pool and dipped his fingers into the river beside it, and Nancy caught herself just gazing dreamily at the taut, well-defined muscles of his shoulders. She had seen handsome men before, but none like Ned—and she had never let herself admire any of them so unreservedly as she was right now. He wasn't shy about letting her see him naked, and while he did joke about how handsome he was, she didn't sense any overinflated ego behind it.

And she thought again of what he had asked her, and why he might have asked it.

She bent her knees and let her weight pull her under the water, holding her breath, then found her footing and rose again, so rapidly that the tops of her breasts cleared the surface of the water. Ned was turned toward her again, and when she blinked the water out of her eyes, she recognized the expression on his handsome face. Desire.

Her stomach flipped, but Ned didn't move toward her. Instead he moved back to a patch of sunlight near a rock, and Nancy was the one who moved toward him, acutely aware of her nakedness, of how the water felt against the bare join of her thighs.

As soon as she was close enough, Ned slipped his arm around her, and she relaxed against his bare shoulder. She could feel that awareness of him, _all_ of him, like the perpetual throb of a heartbeat, and before she gave in to the impulse to draw his face down to hers for a kiss, she glanced up into his eyes.

"I almost went to Northwestern," she said softly.

Ned's expression was lazy and relaxed, but at her words his eyes widened. "Oh?"

She nodded, and glanced down at his cheek. "I was accepted. I just... Well, Bess and George were going to UC, and we've been friends for so long, and..." Nancy sighed. "Going to school for a law degree takes a long time, and Dad told me it didn't really matter where I went for my undergraduate degree, just where I earned my JD."

"Do you think that's what he wants for you?"

Nancy looked down again, then settled back against Ned's shoulder. "I don't know," she murmured. "He told me that no matter what I decided to do, he would be happy, but I want him to be proud of me. And ever since I was a little girl, that's something he and I did, talk about cases and defense strategies and everything. It made me feel close to him. And I guess maybe learning about the law is just another way that makes me feel close to him."

"Hmm." Ned's hand gently stroked down her upper arm, his own arm wrapped around her still.

"Does that make sense?"

"It does," he said softly.

She felt a curious tightness in her chest, and it took supreme effort to say the next words. "He's all I have," she murmured. "And his approval means so much to me. I can't imagine that he was thrilled when I took a year after I graduated high school, and spent the majority of it taking cases and solving mysteries, and most of it on his dime. I went so many places, Ned, and saw so much..."

"It sounds like maybe you felt guilty?"

Nancy nodded. "He had always told me about his college experience, giving me tips on good schools and what to do to prepare, and he wanted to send me there. And that seemed fair. Instead of just living at home and letting him take care of me the rest of my life."

"So you're just totally opposed to opening your own agency?"

She glanced up at him again. "I..." She opened and closed her mouth a few times. "I mean, Frank and his brother Joe and I joked about it a few times... but the thing is, I've always taken cases because they interested me, not because I wanted payment or recognition or anything—and I can't make money that way. A part of me just kind of feels like if I were in it for the money, I'd stop loving it as much as I do, I guess. And I like it the way it is right now. I'm not a professional and I don't handle spying on people or corporate espionage or anything like that. And what if someone paid me and then I wasn't able to figure out what had happened?"

"Has that happened before?" Ned asked.

"No, but—" Nancy glared at him when he laughed at her anxiety. "What? It might."

"It might," Ned agreed, and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "But... oh, I'm not saying you should abandon your degree, but I also don't think you should be getting it unless it's what _you_ want to do. And if you want to solve mysteries for the rest of your life, not argue in front of a jury or judge about whether someone is innocent or guilty—and I have the distinct impression that you are much more in favor of the thrill of the chase and determining guilt or innocence, than you would be defending a client you were reasonably sure was guilty of the crime—then that's what you should do."

Nancy tilted her head. "So I should rent some pretty office space and be a consulting detective," she said with a soft chuckle.

"If that's what you want to do," he told her.

Nancy was afraid to read too much into what he was saying, but her heart was beating a little faster. "And if some rich client comes to me with a problem I find intriguing..."

"Then you could charge a fee," he filled in. "And if some cute grandma on a fixed income wants you to help find her long-lost heirloom ring, you could tell her it's on the house. Sliding scale."

"Hmm," Nancy said, but she was already shaking her head a little. "It's a nice dream."

Ned stopped stroking her shoulder, releasing her, and she was surprised when, a moment later, he looped his arms around her and picked her up, holding her to him so their gazes were level. She parted her legs, the join of her thighs pressed against him, and met his eyes.

"It doesn't have to be a dream," he told her quietly.

Nancy's heart rose into her throat. They were naked and holding each other, but more than that, she was speechless at what he wasn't quite saying.

Ned's gaze fell to her lips for a second. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm getting ahead of myself."

Nancy reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, and let them linger at the nape of his neck. He didn't say anything else. Part of her was glad he stayed silent, but part of her wished he would say it aloud.

She tipped her head forward and brushed her lips against his, and he adjusted his grip on her. "You're sweet," she told him, and she shivered when her tight nipples brushed against his bare chest under the surface of the water. "You really are."

He released a small humorless chuckle. "I feel decidedly less than sweet right now."

"Oh?"

He tilted his head and kissed her hard, and Nancy melted against him, her fingers running through his hair again. Then he swung her around so he was pinning her and her back was braced against the rock, and she let out a soft moan as he moved against her.

When she thought about it, and she was barely able to make herself think about anything other than the bliss and joy of being in his arms—it all felt a little surreal. She was naked outdoors in full daylight, with her boyfriend, and she knew that if he—

He kept kissing her as he brought his hand down and squeezed her ass, then snaked it between her legs. Nancy let out a breathless cry as he rubbed against her clit under the water, and the water was cool against her slick, hot inner flesh as he parted her to slip his fingers inside her.

She tried to make herself protest, to push him away, but all too soon she was gasping and bucking against him, their kiss growing rougher as he stroked her with his fingers. He broke it off and she scrabbled at him, burying her face against his shoulder, feeling the water lap around them as they moved together. He effortlessly pinned her, holding her in place, and she whimpered, digging her nails into his shoulder blades.

"Oh my God, oh—oh _God_ ," she sobbed. "Oh God, we—we shouldn't—"

"Shhhh," he murmured, and when he tweaked her nipple she jerked against him, gasping a cry. "That's right, baby."

She buried her face against his neck, and when his hips rocked against her open thighs, she bucked in return, circling her own hips. "Oh, ohhhhh, oh _God_ ," she moaned, her teeth grazing his skin. "Mmmmmmmm."

"So beautiful," he growled. "And oh, you feel so good, sweetheart. Mmmm. So hot and sweet..."

She kissed him again, hard, and he returned it, letting her muffle her cries. When he tweaked her nipple a little harder, then did the same to the other, Nancy broke the kiss with an audible pop, gasping for breath.

"Ned," she whimpered. "Oh God!"

He kept working his fingers inside her and she tipped her head back, panting hard, her back arching. She realized again how open and exposed they were, and it sent a frisson of delicious anticipation down her spine. She felt his erect cock brush her inner thigh, and when he lowered his head to her shoulder and sucked against the side of her neck, the tip of his thumb digging against her clit, she began rocking frantically against him, feeling that glorious terrible tension rise to almost unbearable heights. She was trying to be quiet, but God, it was so hard.

"Yeah, baby—"

Nancy let out a high, almost soundless cry as she came, writhing against him. She clung to him, her eyes rolling back, and as his body pressed tight to hers another, deeper thrill went down her spine. She clung to him as he nipped at her neck, his hips rocking against her inner thigh. She kissed the side of his neck in return and thought she could feel the trace of dried sweat there, but the scent of him was deeply masculine. He murmured unintelligible words against her skin and she trembled at the deep growl of his voice, the breathlessness and need she could feel in it.

"Shit," he hissed, and they were tangled tight together, but she felt him surge against her and then relax. His cheek was against her shoulder and her lips were pressed against his neck, and she wrapped her arms around him too, relaxing against him.

"Mmm." She held him tighter as he moved a few feet away, into a patch of sunlight, and tipped his head back. She gazed at him for a moment, then dipped her head to brush her lips against the hollow at the base of his throat.

"You okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Yeah. I'm good."

They lingered in the water a little while longer, then slowly dressed and found the trail again. At the next water fountain they refilled their bottles, and by the time they reached their destination for the night, a campground occupied by only a few other tents, the sun had just begun to set and both of them were ravenous. They made quick work of putting up their tent before it became too dark to see, then made their way over to where the other campers had already started a small cooking fire. Two of the other campers were sisters from Kentucky, and the other two were a pair of college students from a nearby university. The girls had packed plenty of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars, and after Nancy and Ned had their dinner, they happily accepted the offer of s'mores.

Both Nancy and Ned were exhausted, though, and soon after the last smear of chocolate and marshmallow had been licked off the last fingertip, they bid the other campers a good night and headed to their tent. They changed into their pajamas by the faint illumination of a flashlight, then zipped together their sleeping bags. One of the girls outside let out a peal of laughter, and Nancy couldn't help chuckling in response.

They settled into the sleeping bags together and Nancy closed her eyes as she snuggled close to him, savoring the contentment she felt, bottling it for the time she would have to spend without him. The more they were around each other, the happier she felt—the happier she allowed herself to feel. And the happier she felt when they were together, the worse their goodbyes felt. She hated leaving him.

Ned's palm stroked down her back. "Feet sore?"

"Yeah," Nancy murmured. "But it's okay. I just might demand a massage on Monday to make up for it, though."

Ned chuckled and hugged her a little tighter. "Sounds like a fair trade, especially since it was hard to even let you get dressed again after Friday night..."

Nancy shivered a little at the memory. The interior of the tent was dark, and their bodies were warm, especially where they were pressed together. She couldn't see his face, and it reminded her of that first night they had spent together, the way his voice could arrest her just as easily as his arms could. "Ned?" she murmured.

"Hmm?"

Nancy took a deep breath and pushed herself up, then slowly lowered herself on top of him, the upper part of her body pressed to his as she slowly kissed him. "I love you," she whispered against his lips.

"I love you too," he murmured, bringing his hand up so he could run his fingers through her hair. It had dried into loose soft reddish-gold waves that framed her face.

"What did you mean when you said... it didn't have to be only a dream?"

She didn't want to see his face, and she had a feeling it would be easier for him to answer her like this, in the darkness. She kissed his cheek and he slipped his arm around the small of her back.

Ned let out a quiet sigh. "I have this friend," he murmured, as he stroked her hair again, "who says that the only reason I make money so fast is because I can't wait to give it away. And I don't think that's necessarily true, but when I find out about something and it... speaks to me," he said with a small snort, "I can't seem to help myself. I get a hunch about things, sometimes. I have a hunch about you."

"And what is it?" she murmured, a small smile in her voice.

"That you're a good investment."

"But, the way we were talking about it earlier... do you mean the agency?"

"Yeah."

"You wouldn't get a good rate of return," she pointed out. "If that's what it's called. I doubt I'd break even."

Ned made a soft humming sound. "Consider it a karmic investment, rather than a financial one," he murmured. "I have this feeling that it would be a good idea... but I am a little biased. When I told your father that I would give you anything, I meant it. I want to make you happy, Nan. And being able to do that for you, to give you that in any way I can... that's the reward I would want."

She took a deep breath, then rested her cheek against his shoulder. "And if I told you that even the mere fact that you would do something like that for me—that that's enough?"

He stroked her hair again. "Then that's enough," he replied. "I just hate the idea that you wouldn't do what you love... when I could give you the means to do that. So let's just say that my offer will be on the table, even if you never take me up on it."

She brought her hand up and gently cupped his cheek. "I'm asleep, aren't I," she murmured. "I'm asleep and I'm dreaming this; I dreamed you. Because God, I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."

He cupped her hips and pulled her fully on top of him, her hips resting directly against his. "If it came down to what I deserve, I'm sure I would never have met you," he told her. "But I'm grateful every single day that I did."


	3. Chapter 3

Traveling first class definitely had its perks, Nancy had decided. The leg room, the wide comfortable seat, even the menu—they all felt decidedly luxurious. Bess and George were seated across the aisle, and both of them, but Bess in particular, had been visibly delighted the whole trip.

But Nancy couldn't focus on the comfortable surroundings. She was distracted, and for once it wasn't about the prospect of a mystery.

The reason for her distraction was waiting for her at the baggage carousel, and Nancy's face lit up in an enormous grin as soon as she saw him, one he returned immediately. Ned looked relaxed and incredibly handsome in his grey slacks and button-down, and as soon as Nancy stepped off the escalator, Ned swept her up into his arms.

"Welcome to Los Angeles, gorgeous."

"Hey," she murmured, and he gave her a long, sweet kiss that left her practically boneless in his arms. Then Bess and George told them they would have plenty of time for their reunion later, rolling their eyes, but they both thanked Ned again profusely for the invitation.

Nancy, Bess, and George were on fall break from college, and Ned had a few business meetings in Los Angeles. He had made the trip to California a few days earlier, and when he had invited Nancy to join him, he had told her that if Bess and George wanted to come along, that was fine with him. Bess had asked if Louis would be there, and that had been enough of an inducement for her. George didn't have anything else going on, and the prospect of Louis's cooking and the gift of the first-class ticket had been enough for her.

Initially Nancy had really wanted to refuse the tickets, but she had convinced herself to take them once Ned told her it would mean a lot to him if she did. Ned had been willing to come back from Los Angeles as quickly as he could to spend time with her, but this way she would be able to spend more time with him, and they would be able to relax and unwind. They hadn't spent any real time together in three weeks, and she missed him like crazy.

George laughed when she saw the car Ned had hired to pick them up at the airport. It wasn't his usual sedan; instead, he had opted for a crossover with enough luggage space for all Bess's bags. Even though they were only staying for a long weekend, Bess had packed for every possible eventuality, from a movie premiere to shopping to looking cute while pretending she was considering going to a yoga class. "Looks like someone gave you a heads up," George commented with a grin, slinging her own beat-up duffel bag into the back of the vehicle.

Bess made a face at her cousin. Ned had taken pity on Bess and had grabbed both Nancy's single rolling bag and Bess's larger rolling bag. "I never know what I'm going to _need_ ," Bess protested, blowing a loose strand of straw-blonde hair off her glowing face. "So shut it, Fayne."

Ned had described his property in Los Angeles as an apartment, and Nancy supposed that technically that was an accurate description, but his apartment was _enormous_ , and not actually in Los Angeles. It had an ocean view, but even that was misleading. Virtually an entire wall of the apartment was glass, allowing for an amazing panoramic view.

George let out a whistle. "Must get incredibly hot in here," she murmured.

Ned shook his head as he brought Bess's large bag in. Nancy had insisted on taking her own inside instead of making him do it. "I kind of wanted to impress you guys," he admitted with a grin. "Remote-control blinds are installed between the two panes of glass."

Bess just kept gazing around her. "Holy _shit_ ," she finally whispered. The only thing that seemed to break the spell for her was when Louis came over to say hello.

The living area was open-plan, and they could see the chef's kitchen where Louis was working, a stone-fronted fireplace, a group of plush, comfortable-looking couches around a sleek, modern entertainment system, a dining area. The floors were a beautiful rich-toned hardwood. The ceiling was very high, and the upper half-level was accessible via a wood and metal staircase. Ned gave them the tour, showing them the downstairs bathroom and gym, then the upstairs rooms. Bess and George were each given a guest bedroom with its own bathroom, and then Ned brought Nancy to the master bedroom, carrying her bags for her.

Nancy only took a few steps into the room before she stopped, just gazing in speechless wonder at the view. While she had seen both the Atlantic and the Pacific a fair number of times, that still hadn't dimmed her fascination with the sea, the endless water, the perpetual hush of waves as they stroked the shore.

"Like it?" Ned asked softly.

Nancy just nodded speechlessly. "Oh, yes," she whispered.

"I hope you packed your swimsuits."

"No skinny dipping this time?" she whispered, her lips curving up in a small grin before she turned to look at him. "Ned, seriously... you didn't have to do this. But I am so glad you did."

He gave her an answering grin, leaning down to kiss her gently. "You can use the right side of the dresser," he told her. "I cleared it for you. I'll be downstairs."

Nancy put her clothes away, then took her makeup and toiletries to the bathroom. The fixtures were much much more unique, sleek and modern, than the ones in his other apartments. It only had one sink.

This was a bachelor apartment.

Nancy looked around at the rich gleaming stone, her heart beating a little faster as she shook her head, a small smile on her face. She and Ned had only met each other four months ago, and sometimes, when she stopped to consider, she felt like she was free-falling—and just as powerless to stop it. Four months ago she had met him, and now he was cleaning out dresser drawers for her, now it wasn't even a question that she would be staying with him in his bedroom at the apartment. They were a couple. She had never even slept in a bed with a man before him, and now she had a small collection of frilly slips and nightgowns meant for exactly that purpose.

There was so much about him that she didn't know yet, but in a way, she knew exactly everything she _needed_ to. He was a good man and he loved her. When she stopped to look at it, it was almost terrifying, or it would have been if she didn't feel the same way about him.

He _loved_ her.

When Bess called Nancy the luckiest woman in the entire damn world, Nancy laughed, but she agreed. How the hell had she been so lucky to meet him? Especially given what he was willing to offer her...

Nancy had just put the last of her clothes away when Bess tapped lightly at the door, then stepped through. "George went ahead downstairs," Bess replied off Nancy's raised eyebrow. "Just thought I'd come in here and drool over this massive bed..."

When Bess directed a smirk at the bedside table, Nancy found herself blushing. "Oh, stop it," she murmured.

"Come on. Aren't you curious?"

Nancy kept her face impassive, but she felt the join of her thighs tingle a little in response. "In this case, no," she lied firmly to her best friend. But he had been in Los Angeles for a few days, and had probably at least bought lube... and she wondered whether he had taken the time to buy anything else.

Bess made a soft disappointed sound, then dashed for it. Nancy was quicker, and she tackled Bess to the bed to keep her from getting to the table. The two girls laughed at each other, as they pulled loose strands of hair out of their faces.

Bess shook her head. "This place," she said wonderingly. "God, Nancy. This kind of life..."

"Yeah," Nancy agreed softly.

Bess grinned. "A girl could really get used to it," she said.

Nancy sat up. "But that's not why I'm with him," she said. "And I hate when he gives me really expensive presents—those plane tickets?" She sighed. "It makes him so happy, but I can't give him anything in return. I don't _have_ anything."

Bess raised her eyebrow. "Maybe you can't give him anything material, but from what you've told me..." Bess patted the bed. "Sounds like you've been _giving him_ plenty."

This time Nancy's blush was deeper. "I wish I hadn't brought it up," she murmured.

"Hey, come on, Nan, it's okay. I'll stop."

"It's just—he doesn't like it..."

"I know. I remember." Bess patted Nancy's shoulder reassuringly. "But regardless of how reluctant he might be to discuss what you two do in bed, I was reading this article in _Cosmo_ , and I totally think he is head over heels in love with you. Not the 'I love you, baby, and let's show that love by getting naked' way."

Nancy had to admit, that had made her nervous. Ned had been eager to have sex with her soon after meeting her, and not only was she worried that he was growing impatient, it had also made her wonder if they were taking things way too quickly, not just in talking about their feelings but in how physical their relationship was.

The responsible side of her told her that they needed to slow things down. That responsible side was so, so incredibly quiet when she was around him. The rest of her was addicted to the way he made her feel and the way he looked at her, and stopping, taking a step back? She didn't want to. She couldn't. The caution that had always been a part of her personality when it came to relationships seemed to vanish when she was in his arms.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll report back, okay?" Bess giggled. "You handle the mysteries and I'll handle the incomprehensible behavior of the men of the species."

Ned had told her that he loved her, and she believed him. The idea of not believing him really did make her feel lost. Both of them stood and smoothed their clothes, and Nancy bit her lip.

"Bess... you will follow his lead, right? And not suggest that we, like, rent a diamond helicopter or something..."

Bess, who was checking her hair in the mirror, turned and gave Nancy a baleful look. "Like I would do that. I'll do whatever you guys want... I mean, unless it's skiing. Or anything physical. Especially if Louis will be there. Oooh, maybe I'll ask if he can give me a one-on-one pastry class..."

Nancy laughed at Bess as they walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind them. "Nan, seriously, though... if he is serious about you? All _this_..." Bess made a wide gesture indicating the apartment. "You'd have all this. And more."

Nancy hadn't told Bess or George, or anyone else, what Ned had told her during their camping trip. She was almost afraid to, like it had all been some amazing dream. After all, he had told her that he was getting ahead of himself, and a part of her agreed with him.

The rest of her, though, was utterly thrilled at the prospect. She knew that for Bess, the Oscar de la Renta practically would have been enough, that and the kind of life a man as rich and generous as Ned could offer her, but the idea of having her own agency, of not worrying about charging so much that the people who truly needed help couldn't afford it... she loved that.

If he was her husband...

Nancy felt herself blush again as she followed Bess down the stairs. Bess had always been the girl who doodled her crush's name along with hers in hearts pierced by arrows in the margins of her notebooks, who imagined herself with their last names, who imagined how their children might look. Nancy never had. And four months was too early for it, besides.

Four months had to be too early.

Nancy had watched Bess fall in love once in the course of fifteen minutes. Even that had been more intense than any other relationship Nancy had had. Until Ned.

George's dark eyes were sparkling when Nancy and Bess came downstairs. George and Ned were sitting at the large heavy table in the dining room area. "Ned was just telling me about what we could do around here, but he said it all depended on what you wanted to do, Nan," she said. "But you want to go sailing, right? Right?" She nodded vigorously.

Nancy laughed. Louis offered Bess a lemonade, and Nancy nodded and smiled when he offered her one as well.

"See? She said yes," George said victoriously.

"To the _lemonade_ ," Nancy said, and when she crossed to a chair, Ned rose to pull it out for her, and Bess's as well. "But sailing does sound like fun. Bess?"

Bess wrinkled her pretty nose. "Louis?"

Louis laughed. "It's not the yacht," he told her. "I'd have nowhere to really cook."

"Yeah, but... I mean, isn't boat-driving—"

" _Sailing_ ," George said, rolling her eyes.

Bess made a dismissive gesture. "Whatever. _Sailing_. Doesn't it take being strong? All I'm good for is laying out on the deck in my new bikini..." She fluttered her lashes in Louis's direction.

George snorted. "But when we were in the Hamptons—"

" _George!_ " Bess hissed. "Whatever. Shhh."

"She knows how to sail," George told Louis, over Bess's loud protests. "I don't know why she's trying to play it off."

"Because I'm much better at sunbathing."

To put a stop to their bickering, Nancy said that she would be delighted to go sailing, and asked Louis if he would like to accompany them. Louis glanced at Ned and apparently received the right signal, because he said he would be happy to.

That night, after dinner, Nancy and Ned sat next to each other on the couch, Ned's arm around her shoulders, and she cuddled up against him. Bess found a movie on one of the higher-tier channels that she hadn't seen before, and Louis offered to make snacks for them. The movie was only half over when Nancy sat forward and stretched.

"Guys, I'm pretty beat," she said, then turned to look at Ned. "I think I'm gonna go lie down, if that's okay."

"Sure," Ned said. "I had a pretty long day myself. Bess, George, you know where the remotes are?"

The cousins nodded in unison, and Bess's eyes were sparkling. She had invited Louis to watch the movie with them, and clearly relished the idea of getting him alone, so he wouldn't feel self-conscious around Ned. Ned asked for Louis's suggestion for the morning breakfast, and when he recommended florentine crepes with eggs Benedict, Bess's obvious enthusiasm was infectious.

Nancy and Ned went upstairs, and after they brushed their teeth, Nancy took her gown into the bathroom to change. She didn't like the idea of sleeping with Ned while Bess and George were over, and sleeping not too far away, but she couldn't resist. She had been without him for too long, and the attraction between them, and her anticipation of their being together, felt almost like an addiction.

She came out of the bathroom to find Ned sitting at the edge of the bed in his boxers, the bedside lamp on, a smile lighting his handsome face as he gazed at her. She wore a beautiful silver silk slip trimmed in whisper-thin lace, the hem falling at the tops of her thighs. She glanced over at the door to make sure it was locked, then slowly crossed to him, and Ned rose before she reached him.

"God, you look so beautiful," he whispered. "I'm so glad you're here, baby. I've been dying without you."

She held his gaze, her smile widening into a grin. "Me too," she whispered.

He cupped the side of her face, stroking his thumb against her cheek. "Now, I know your friends are here," he said softly. "And I thought about getting a hotel room for them so we could be alone, but..."

"But?"

He leaned down, touching his forehead to hers. "But I didn't want to be presumptuous," he murmured. "Should I have?"

"You aren't generally one for such self-doubt, Mr. Nickerson."

"You, Miss Drew, have the rare power to leave me entirely at your mercy," he told her, then kissed her cheekbone.

She chuckled. "Isn't that a little dangerous to admit?"

"I hope not." He nuzzled against the side of her neck. "Can I take you to bed, sweetheart, and do what I've been fantasizing about ever since Labor Day?"

She felt herself flush. "Ned," she whispered.

"It's okay. I just want to touch you, baby. Please, please..."

She swayed against him as he kissed the join of her neck and shoulder. "Okay," she moaned. "Yes, please..."

He laid her down on the bed and she wrapped herself around him as he kissed her, burying one hand in his dark hair as he lowered his hips to hers. She wore only a pair of black satin panties under her slip, and the fabric was so thin that she could clearly feel his hardness against her. The sensation put a deeper flush in her cheeks, and when he rocked once against her she dug her nails into his shoulder.

"Ned," she whimpered when they broke the kiss.

"Nancy," he whispered, and when he sucked gently at the column of her neck, his large warm palms coming down to cup her hips and push her gown up, she knew they were moving too fast, but she shuddered at the sensation of his skin against hers. She let him slip her gown off, and when he touched her bare breasts she arched, moaning.

"So beautiful," he whispered. He moved over her so he could press his lips against her ear, and she let out a shivering sigh when his hips moved against hers again. "Are you wet for me, baby?"

She closed her eyes. "Yes," she whimpered, a thrill going over her belly.

"What do you want me to do to you, love?"

He growled it, his voice low, and Nancy shuddered again, harder this time. "Can I show you?"

"Hell yes, sweetheart."

Nancy took a deep breath. "Promise me," she whispered.

"Anything."

"Promise me that you won't..."

He kissed her earlobe. "I won't do anything you don't want me to do, Nan."

When she began to push herself up, he let her, and she reached for his boxers, tugging down the side. He took the hint and slipped his underwear off, watching with some interest as she did the same.

He was sitting up near the middle of the bed, and Nancy stood up on her knees. From downstairs she heard the sound of laughter, George's laughter, and she was acutely aware that all three of them likely knew what Nancy and Ned were doing, but she put that thought out of her mind. It didn't matter.

She studied him, the golden cast of his skin in the dim lamplight, the defined muscles of his chest and arms, his erection. When she swung over him, straddling him, Ned released a soft groan.

"I like where this is going."

She slipped her arms around his shoulders and held his gaze with hers. "Tell me if I have to stop," she murmured, her voice serious.

"I think that's my line," he told her, his own eyes sparkling. "But, okay."

She kissed him, slipping her hand into his hair again, and their lips met over and over, her body pressed to his. Slowly she began to move against him, her nipples brushing against his chest, and Ned cupped her hip, his fingertips drifting against her ass.

She could feel the heat radiating from him, knew that he was fully aroused and waiting for her, and when Nancy gently brushed the join of her thighs against him, Ned groaned. "Mmmmm, baby," he sighed.

She kissed him again. Her heart was beating so fast, and she felt lightheaded as she did it again, this time pressing the slit of her sex directly against the underside of his shaft. She rocked against him with the same force he had used with her earlier, and his grip tightened on her side.

"Mmm, so good," he murmured when she broke the kiss, and he buried his hand in her hair, then let himself fall backward so he was resting on his back on the comforter. "God, you feel so good. Holy shit..."

Nancy flushed, biting her lip as she slipped her hands down and parted her sex so that his girth was enfolded by her slick inner lips, so they were in direct contact. Ned shivered and she began to rock against him, letting out a shivering sigh at how good it felt.

"Sit up, baby," Ned murmured, combing his fingers through her hair. She was almost horizontal over him, her reddish-gold hair swinging as she ground herself against him. "Sit up, let me look at you..."

She obeyed, pushing herself up, but she wasn't sure what to do with her hands, and she wanted to touch him. She gripped his shoulders, sliding her knees a little further apart, and let out a soft moan as she stroked her inner flesh against him again.

He cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers, and she shuddered and arched. "Feel good?"

"Yes," she moaned.

He let out a breath through his teeth, and she rocked harder against him as he squeezed her nipples a little more firmly. "Do you like when I touch you?"

"I love it," she whimpered. She felt incredibly dirty, coming so close to having sex, and God, it felt dangerous too. It felt like she was daring him to break his promise to her.

She was no longer sure what she wanted, only that the sensation, that rubbing her sex against his cock felt amazing.

"You want me to touch you somewhere else, beautiful?"

"Yes," she whimpered.

"Where, Nancy?"

"Between my legs," she whispered, angling her hips again.

"You mean inside you? Or somewhere else? Inside that tight little pussy, or..."

"My—clit," she breathed, and she felt herself tighten a little in answer, in anticipation, blushing a little more. She couldn't believe she was saying it. "I want you to rub my clit, I want you to make me come..."

He hooked his thumb between her outer lips and found her clit, and Nancy cried out before she remembered that they needed to be quiet. Ned was smiling, though.

"Good," he whispered. "Feel good, love?"

She nodded desperately, rocking harder against him. "Yes..."

"God... that tight little pussy is so wet for me," he murmured, and she sobbed quietly as he stroked that sensitive nub of flesh even more rapidly. "Isn't it, Nan, that warm place inside you where no one else has touched you..."

"Yes," she whimpered, her hair swinging as she ground against him, and his voice was a low demanding growl.

"God, you have no idea how much..."

She leaned down, grinding against his hand and cock as he trailed off, and sucked at the side of his neck, wanting to be in as much contact with him as she could. " _You_ have no idea," she gasped out. "How much I want you..."

"Tell me," he growled.

Nancy let out another soft cry. "I want you inside me," she whimpered, panting. "I want to feel you inside me, I want your cock to fill me up..."

Ned let out a loud groan. "In that tight, sweet little pussy?"

She nodded, then leaned down to press her lips against his ear as they ground together. His thumb was still rubbing hard against her clit, but his hips were bucking a little too. "I'm so wet for you," she moaned. "For _you_ , baby, no one else. You are the only man who has ever made me feel this way and I want to know how it will feel when you come inside me, I want to take every inch of you and let you feel me come from the inside..."

Ned groaned again. "Baby," he begged her. "Baby, _shit_... are you on the pill?"

She shook her head and Ned growled in frustration. "Holy _fuck_. Holy _fuck_. Here..."

He kept rubbing her clit with his thumb as he slipped three fingers down and plunged them into her slick, sensitive sex, and she cried out again. "Please," she sobbed.

"Please what?" he panted, rapidly stroking his fingers in and out of her as he fondled her clit. "Tell me what you want, oh holy _shit_ , baby, I want you so much..."

She pushed herself up again so she was no longer rubbing against his cock, arching and bucking her hips as he fucked her with his fingers, and he sat up too, bending in and catching one of her nipples between his lips. He suckled and she sobbed, riding his hand, and she could hear him frantically touching himself.

"Can I come on you?" he forced out, his breathing labored.

Nancy nodded, tipping her head back, beyond words or anything else as her orgasm reached dizzying heights. "Yes, _yes_ ," she sobbed, and Ned sucked hard against her other nipple. The rhythm of his fingers' movement between her legs became erratic as she listened to him pleasure both of them, the wet sound of him moving in her incredibly wet sex and his other hand moving rapidly agains his own cock. She rolled her hips and let out a soundless scream as she came, her eyes rolling back, and Ned released a stuttering groan. She felt something hot and slippery against the underside of her breast and just beneath.

"Ohhhhh. Oh, holy _fuck_ ," Ned groaned, falling backward on the bed, and only when Nancy sighed did he slip his fingers out of her. "Oh shit."

Nancy gazed down at him, bending her knees to sink down against his thighs. She was flushed and she felt sweaty, boneless, wanton. And he had spent himself on her, after she had told him how much she wanted him to spend himself _inside_ her.

She ran her hand through her hair. Why the hell had she said that? Not that it wasn't _true_...

"Shit," she whispered. Rubbing against him, how good it felt to do something so close to sex... if sex felt anywhere near that good, and she couldn't believe that it wouldn't, _God_. If she had been daring him before, though...

Ned opened his eyes and looked up at her. "God, I'm sorry," he murmured, sitting up, and she swung off him as he reached for a tissue. Gently, thoroughly, he wiped the slippery warmth off her, apologizing again.

Nancy looked around for her panties and found them, slipping them back on. The join of her thighs felt uncomfortably sensitive and still incredibly slick, and she shivered once before she found her silver silk gown and pulled it back on.

Ned returned from the bathroom, and she was moving under the covers on her usual side of the bed. "You okay?"

Nancy nodded, letting out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry," she murmured as he joined her under the covers.

"About what?"

When he rolled onto his side to face her and reached for her, she moved into his arms. "Did I go too far?" she whispered.

"No, baby," he murmured, and kissed the crown of her head. "I loved what you were saying, and if you'd told me you were on the pill, well, things would have been a lot more interesting... but no. You're okay."

"What would you have done...?"

"I would have asked if you were sure you wanted to take that step."

She nestled against his chest. "What if I'd said I wanted to, even without the pill?"

She wasn't looking at him, but Ned moved back so he could look into her eyes. "Then we would use condoms," he told her.

"Even though you want to—do that, without?"

He nodded. "But, sweetheart, we aren't doing either of those things until you're ready," he said. "Because this is all hypothetical, anyway."

She nodded. "I didn't mean to say those things," she admitted.

"Why? Were they not true?"

"They were..." She nestled back against his chest. "I do... I do want to make love, but..."

He just held her, stroking her hair, and she made a soft frustrated noise. "I want you so much it scares me," she whispered. "I want you, and when I try to think about it I can't believe that it's been so fast. It feels too fast. It feels like we just met. And it feels like I've known you so long. How is it that I feel _safe_ around you, that I've felt safe around you practically since we met?"

He pressed his lips in a lingering kiss against the crown of her head again. "Because you know I would never hurt you," he whispered. "I will never hurt you. Never."

She closed her eyes. "But—that—it will hurt, won't it..."

"It might," he told her. "You are tight. But I'll be gentle..." He kissed her temple. "And I'll kiss you and touch you and stroke you until you're relaxed and ready for me. Just like I told you. And I know you are going to feel so good, baby, because what you were just doing... God, that was so good, baby. So hot."

She smiled. "I'm glad it made you happy," she whispered. "Ned, you make me so happy, and everything you do for me, _with_ me... it makes me feel like shit because I can't do anything nearly this great for you."

Ned moved back to look into her eyes again. "Nan," he sighed. "The fact that it makes you happy is all I want. Spending time with you is all I want. Don't feel guilty about letting me make you happy, because that makes _me_ happy."

She sighed. "So there's nothing I can give you that you'd want?"

"I have all I want right here," he told her. "The only thing I ever want or need is time with you. I can buy anything else, but you, Nancy Drew... you are priceless. You give me the best gift of all when you're in my arms."

"Mmm." Nancy felt warm tears prick in her eyes. "How am I this lucky? How did I ever land someone so amazing as you?"

He ducked in and kissed her cheek, smoothing away a tear as it fell. "Right back at you, love."

\--

Ned had a midmorning meeting, and when Nancy woke she found a note on his pillow for her. He said he would be back for lunch and then they would go sailing, but for her to get her rest; they would be going to dinner with some of his friends on Saturday.

When Nancy came downstairs, freshly showered, Bess was sitting at the breakfast bar drinking a glass of juice, and Louis was laughing at something. "Good morning," he told her with a smile.

Nancy smiled back at him, then glanced pointedly at her watch. "And what the hell are _you_ doing out of bed so early?" she asked Bess, pulling out the stool beside her friend.

Bess shrugged. "I was trying to sweet-talk _someone_ into giving me some private cooking lessons," she said, and Louis shook his head, chuckling. "Ned too tired out from last night to come down for breakfast?"

Nancy lightly swatted at Bess's arm. "He had a meeting this morning," she said. "And, speaking of tired-out people, I can't believe George isn't here. Have you seen her?"

Bess nodded, wrinkling her nose. "She's in the gym," Bess said, rolling her eyes. "We're on _vacation_ and she's in the gym."

For their sailing outing, Nancy dressed in a kelly green bikini that tied at the back of her neck and at her hips, and pulled a loose weave oatmeal-colored sweater over it, with a pair of short jean cutoffs. Bess wore a shimmery pink-and-metallic-gold bikini under a gauzy purple cover-up. George wore a smart navy-and-white-striped tank suit, but over that she wore a UC t-shirt and Bermuda shorts, and sporty sandals.

Nancy had learned to sail when she was in high school, and had done a good deal of sailing during her summer in the Hamptons with her aunt. Bess and George had been along on most of those trips. Ned asked them what they would be most comfortable with, and by the time they reached the marina, they were all joking with each other. Louis had packed a cooler of snacks and drinks, and he wore a loose cotton button-down and board shorts; Nancy didn't miss the appreciative glances Bess was directing at the uncovered strip of skin between the sides of his shirt.

Ned wore a grey tank top and navy blue board shorts, and he had absolutely no right to look as spectacular as he did in them.

Once they were on board, Nancy, Ned, and George handled most of the actual manual labor involved, while Louis helped out, learning what to do. Bess had immediately stripped down to her bikini, her petite, curvy frame shown off by the close-fitting suit, and she wore a pair of rhinestone-studded sunglasses over her eyes as she sprawled on a towel on deck. More than a few times, Nancy caught Louis looking over at Bess, and smiled to herself. Maybe Bess was checking to make sure Ned cared about _her_ , but from everything Nancy could see, Louis was clearly developing a crush on one of her best friends.

As they kept the boat on course, Ned and George kept talking—when Ned wasn't touching Nancy, ducking in to whisper something against her ear, tangling his fingers between hers. George seemed comfortable around both Ned and Louis, and for that Nancy was glad. Ned didn't seem to harbor any hostility over how protective Bess and George had been of Nancy when they had talked to Ned that first time.

Nancy took a break for a drink, sitting beside Bess to talk to her for a little while, and caught _herself_ staring at Ned. He looked so incredibly masculine, so strong and solid—and then he turned to look at her, too, and when their eyes met Nancy felt her heart speed up. She gave him a grin and nodded at the cooler, silently asking if he wanted a drink too, and he gave her a nod.

"Have a good time last night?" Bess murmured.

Nancy ducked her head. "It was fine," she said, but she felt her lips curve up into a grin.

"Ohhhhhh." Bess nudged her. "Girl, don't be shy. Trust me, if I had that guy in my bed... I'd do things to him that would make your ears burn for me to tell you."

Nancy thought of the night before and swallowed. She was sure that Bess could give her some great tips—or not; some of the things Bess read aloud to them from _Cosmo_ sounded either painful, weird, or both—but she liked the fact that Ned was teaching her, and he seemed to like it too.

They were all tired, but happy, after the sailing trip, and Ned called for delivery from a Mexican restaurant since he had given Louis the time off to go with them. Over ice-cold bottles of Mexican beer with lime they all shared an enormous nachos platter, dividing hard-shell tacos, enchiladas, chiles relleno, refried beans and Spanish rice, and guacamole and sour cream among them. They were all buzzing and stuffed as they moved to the living room after, to recuperate in front of the large television before doing anything else.

"Okay, even if we don't do anything else this trip... today has been awesome, Nickerson. Thanks for indulging me." George patted her belly.

"Yeah," Bess agreed. "Thanks, Ned. It was nice to sunbathe for a while, and get some exercise in..."

Bess was joking, but on the way back to shore, she had actually helped out some. She had batted her eyelashes at Louis a lot too, and he had helped her man one of the sails.

Nancy patted Ned's knee. "It was really great. Thank you," she told him.

Louis spoke up too, saying that he would definitely have to try sailing again, and Ned laughed. "I'm glad everyone had fun today—and I have to admit, the company wasn't so bad, either." Nancy nudged her shoulder with his, chuckling.

"I'm having dinner with a few friends tomorrow night," he told Bess and George. "We'll go somewhere nice, maybe dance afterward. Interested?"

Bess and George exchanged glances, and Nancy didn't miss that Bess glanced over at Louis too. "Well, the dancing part, definitely," Bess said with a grin. "Are we all...?"

Ned, his arm wrapped around Nancy's shoulders, shrugged. "Louis is welcome to come too," he said. "He has the night off, though, and I don't know that he necessarily wants to spend it around me..."

"You have the night off?" Bess glanced over at Louis. "So, dancing?"

Louis gave Bess a small smile. "I was going to catch up with a friend of mine tomorrow night," he admitted. "But dancing after doesn't sound like a bad idea. I don't want to impose, though."

"Oh, it wouldn't be an imposition!" Bess gushed, and George rolled her eyes. "It would be great!"

Nancy, chuckling quietly to herself, turned to Ned. "So which friends?"

He laced his fingers between hers. "Josh Klein, whose family lives near here, and Maury Becker—they went to school with me—and Clark Faraday. And before you ask, they aren't all like me. Josh does some investing, but his family's well off and right now he seems to be more concerned with building a massive collection of hideously expensive cars than anything else. Maury's going to be the next Bill Gates, probably."

"And Clark?"

"Ahh, Clark. The guy who will steal you away from me if I'm not careful." Ned's eyes gleamed with humor, but Nancy sensed some faint anxiety behind it. "I think you might know him as—"

"First draft pick for the Lakers this past season?" George said, her eyes avid.

"You mean that total hottie basketball player I saw you drooling over in that damn sports magazine you get?" Bess said, raising an eyebrow.

"'That damn sports magazine.' For God's sake, Bess, it's _Sports Illustrated_ —"

"And yes," Ned interrupted. He had apparently already figured out that when Bess and George started needling each other, it took less effort to head it off before it snowballed. "That guy."

"Hmm. Okay, we're _definitely_ going to dinner," Bess announced. "And George Fayne, I swear, you _better_ look drop-dead gorgeous. I am going to make sure of it."

After a while Louis rose to start dessert, which they all protested they couldn't possibly handle—at least not quite yet, anyway—and Ned went to the kitchen with him. Nancy saw him go upstairs a few moments later, and she watched to see if he was going to signal her to follow him, but he didn't. He came downstairs only a moment or two later, and Nancy relaxed—she hadn't even realized she was tense.

Ned touched her shoulder, leaning down from behind the couch to press his lips against Nancy's ear. "Can you come with me for a minute?"

Nancy nodded, excusing herself to her best friends, and followed Ned, her mind racing. He led her out to the wide balcony he had shown them during the tour.

The table outside was large enough to accommodate them all, if they decided to have a meal outside. Fine mesh kept the insects away, and the darkness seemed to coalesce and pulse about a steady flame, glowing inside a storm lantern in the center of the table. The recessed lighting was dimmed and soft, and the whole atmosphere felt incredibly romantic. The rhythmic, if distant, hush of the sea drew Nancy's attention, and she knew her heart was beating faster. She wondered if he could feel it through their joined hands, their interlaced fingers.

"It's so beautiful out here," she whispered.

"Yes, it is," Ned murmured, and she felt his lips brush her temple. She closed her eyes.

"Nancy... I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered, turning to face him, and she slipped her arms around his shoulders. "I love you so much. Have I said how sweet you are for letting my friends tag along for everything?"

"Well, maybe not _quite_ everything," he said, leaning down to kiss the corner of her mouth. "But it's okay. I plan on being in your life for a long time... and I want to get to know the other people who are important to you. It's no hardship."

"I'm glad," she murmured, and kissed him fully in return. "And you are so sweet, Ned... although next time, let me just say that I wouldn't mind _too_ terribly much if they were at a hotel instead of next door to your bedroom..."

"Oh?" Ned chuckled softly, kissing her again before he ran his fingers through her sun-lightened hair. "Is my girl saying she wants to be loud when we're in bed?"

"Sometimes," she murmured, and when Ned kissed the side of her throat, she let out her breath in a pleased sigh. "Mmm... oh, that feels good..."

Ned nuzzled against the join of her neck and shoulder, then brought his head back up to gaze into her eyes. "I wanted to save this, but I just can't," he murmured. "I wanted to give you something..."

"Oh, Ned," she said, searching his eyes. She wanted to tell him that he didn't have to, but she remembered what he had told her the night before. He wanted to make her happy, and she didn't want to seem ungrateful, because she wasn't. "That's so sweet..."

He took a box out of his pocket and handed it to her. Nancy took a deep breath and accepted it, looking into his eyes before she looked down at it.

Inside the box she found a beautiful miniature gold birdcage on a fine chain. She let out a soft delighted cry and held it up to look at the detail, and Ned moved to brighten the lights a little for her. Inside the minute birdcage were a pair of birds, linked with a small ruby heart. The domed cage was hollow at the top, but she noticed that the bottom was deeper, and enclosed. Very gently she slipped her thumbnail against the seam at the base of the cage, and the bottom came open, held to the pendant with a tiny hinge. A script upper-case N was engraved on the inner side of the bottom piece, and inside she found a scrap of cream-colored paper, a heart drawn in red ink on it.

She knew she was blushing when she looked up at him again. No man she had ever dated had given her anything like it, and she absolutely adored it. "Oh, Ned..."

He gently took the box out of her hand and raised his eyebrows, and she nodded, carefully closing the scrap of paper back into the locket before letting him put it on her.

"It's us," he whispered, touching it as it rested just above her breasts. "Before I met you, I thought falling in love like this... oh, sweetheart. I hate being out of control, unless it's with you."

She searched his eyes, then wrapped her arms around him again. "I never wanted this either," she whispered. "I thought it would feel like being trapped... that I would suffocate. But now that I've met you... I'm not lonely anymore, and when I'm with you, you just make me feel free..."

She closed her eyes as he boosted her, holding her to him as his mouth claimed hers again and again, and soon her head was spinning. The knowledge that a day and a half of their weekend was already gone lingered in the back of her mind, and as she wrapped her legs around him, clinging to him, she wished with all her heart that they would never need to part, that one day her life wouldn't merely be punctuated by his visits and his presence.

They were interrupted by a faint knock at the glass door, and Nancy immediately broke the kiss and pulled away from Ned, a deeper blush staining her cheeks. Bess opened the door and poked her head out. "Didn't know if you two were ready for dessert," she said, and winked at Nancy.

"We'll be right there," Ned said, and Nancy ducked her head. He sounded a little breathless, and she knew she was panting.

Slowly Ned put her back down, and she let out a soft sigh. "Wow," she whispered. "Oh..." She reached up and smoothed her hair, then chuckled as she smoothed Ned's too.

"I guess we should get back inside," he murmured. "Although I really want to just pick you up and carry you upstairs..."

"In a little while," she told him, cupping his cheek. She stood on her tiptoes to brush another sweet kiss against his lips.

Nancy had been pretty sure that Bess would immediately notice the necklace, and her friend didn't disappoint her. She immediately cooed over it, and when Nancy eagerly showed her and George the small secret compartment at the base of the cage, Bess turned to Ned with a smile. "Damn," she murmured. "You really _are_ smooth, Nickerson. Now I really do need to keep my eye on you."

"I'm sorry, what were you doing before?" Ned teased her back, and George chuckled.

Staying downstairs after they finished dessert was torture, and Bess encouraged Louis to sit down next to her on the couch, clearly hoping to urge him to stay and watch the movie currently showing with her. George was the first to cry off, saying she was beat, and Nancy and Ned followed soon after.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Ned reached down and lifted Nancy into his arms, and she giggled, her eyes dancing as she gazed up at him. "Hi," she murmured.

"Hey beautiful," Ned murmured, and brushed the tip of his nose against hers. He carried her to his room and closed the door behind them, and she relaxed a little when she heard him lock it, too.

Then he carried her to his bed. "Is it okay if I try something with you? If you're uncomfortable with it, we don't have to."

She held his gaze, her heart beating a little harder as she nodded. "Okay."

Slowly Ned stripped her out of her clothes, kissing her as he did, parting from her only when he needed to. The more exposed she was to him, the warmer she felt. When her bikini bottoms dropped to the floor, she reached for the necklace.

Ned shook his head. "Leave that on," he whispered, and he drew her to him, kissing her deeply. He still wore his shirt and shorts, and the feel of the fabric against her naked body just made her all the more eager to remove the barrier between them.

When he released her, she felt lightheaded, her knees weak. He walked over to his closet door, slipping out of his shirt, and Nancy sat down on his bed, panting a little.

Then he opened the closet door and turned on the bedside lamp, and when Nancy realized that she could see her own reflection in the mirror mounted on the door, she looked away, over at Ned. He was smiling at her, and he pushed his shorts down. She swallowed as she looked at his erect cock, and wondered what he wanted to try with her—and if it would come as perilously close to the line as what she had done with him the night before.

"You are so beautiful," he told her, crossing to her again. She watched the way the golden light traced the lines of his body, a flush prickling over her bare chest as she tensed a little in anticipation.

"So are you," she told him softly.

He stood over her and reached for her chin, tipping her head back so he could look down into her eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "Every bit of you, every inch of you. You are so gorgeous, baby... and I want to watch you come."

"Okay," she murmured. Except for those few nights they had been in darkness, he already had.

"I want you to watch, too."

Nancy's brow knit, and she felt herself blush. "I don't..." she faltered. "I don't understand."

"Do you look at yourself naked, baby?"

She shrugged. "Not... not very often," she admitted, although she hadn't really cared what she looked like naked until Ned had seen her that way. Now she scrutinized her naked body more carefully in the mirror after her showers, but all she saw there were flaws, things she imagined he wouldn't like. She had never looked at herself naked and thought she was particularly beautiful.

He leaned down and kissed her, then moved onto the bed, behind her. She looked up again and saw her reflection, and ducked her head again.

"No. Look," he told her, and she waited a beat before she obeyed him. She saw how the sun had darkened her skin and left paler flesh where her bikini had been. Her gaze shied away from her breasts and the join of her thighs, though; it felt shameful still to look at her boyfriend naked, despite her own curiosity. It felt shameful to look at herself any more than she had to.

Ned kissed the side of her neck, then slipped his arms around her and cupped her breasts. "Look at how beautiful you are," he whispered, and she reluctantly brought her gaze back to the mirror. Seeing and feeling him touch her, the contrast of his skin against hers, seeing the adoration on his face as he gazed at her... she did like that, even though she still felt shy.

He stroked the firm, rosy tips of her nipples. "Look at how your body shows me you want me," he whispered, then kissed her earlobe, and she shivered. "Your beautiful breasts. The way you blush and look away so I won't see the desire in your eyes. Look at yourself, Nancy, my beautiful girl."

She looked up and met his eyes in the mirror, and shuddered as he kept stroking her breasts.

"Open your legs for me, sweetheart."

She took a deep breath, locking her gaze to his as she parted her knees. Instinctively her body was undulating gently against his touch, and she wondered if he was going to ask if she was wet for him—or if he would just slip his hands between her thighs and find out for himself.

"Bring your feet up onto the bed," he told her, his voice a low growl against her neck. "No, no, stay where you are, just bring your feet up. Now open your legs wide, Nan, wide as they will go."

She obeyed him, trembling faintly, and her gaze was still locked to his.

"Mmm," he murmured. "So shy... my beautiful little virgin. Watch my hand, then."

She took a deep breath and watched his large, warm hand fondle and caress her breast, plucking at her nipple, and she moaned softly. Then he brought his finger up and gently brushed it over the tip of her nose with a little chuckle, before he slowly drew it down the center of her chest. Lightly he cupped the join of her thighs, and she moaned again.

He took her outer lips and spread her open, exposing her slick flushed inner flesh to the cooler air, and Nancy gasped. "Look," he told her. "Look at how slick and wet and beautiful you are for me... look at your clit. You want me to touch you there?"

"Y—yes," she managed to force out, and felt herself throb a little as she did.

He drew his thumbs up and down the edges of her outer lips, still holding her open, and Nancy studied herself. The deep pink, glistening folds of her sex didn't look at all beautiful to her, not pretty, not sexy. But the sensation of him touching her there was indescribably glorious, and he clearly wasn't repulsed by the sight of her, exposed and spread wide.

"You really..."

"I really what, sweetheart?"

"You don't—think it's ugly." She whispered it.

"No," he told her. "It's beautiful."

Then he brushed his thumb over her clit and she jerked against him as though she had been struck. She felt incredibly exposed and vulnerable; she had no quick way to close her legs, and when she closed her eyes Ned growled.

"I know it feels good... look at you, at those beautiful eyes..."

Nancy looked at her own eyes in the mirror; she looked almost drowsy, her lashes low. Then she let her gaze go back to her sex, to watch what he was doing to her. She had never seen it before, only felt it, and being able to witness it felt so strange. She still felt self-conscious, but what he was doing to her felt so good...

"You want me to put my fingers inside you, baby? Up inside you where you're so wet right now?"

"Yes," she moaned, and she was surprised at how low his fingers went. He started with one, stroking her with it a few times before he added another, and then a third. Nancy began to sob softly in pleasure, her brow knitting, her lips parted. Her head lolled and Ned was using his other hand to fondle her breasts, his thumb still working her clit as he plunged his fingers in and out of her.

"Oh my God, oh my _God_ ," she moaned, her hips rolling. He kissed the side of her neck and she found that she was gripping his wrist, keeping his hand in place as he fingered her.

"You like that, baby."

"Yes," she sobbed, her gaze meeting his again. Seeing his hands all over her, watching him touch her... it was arousing, she had to admit, even though her expression made her look like she was in pain.

He plunged the full length of his fingers inside her and she bucked, gasping. "You said you wanted to feel my cock," he said. "You like when I fill you up like this?"

She nodded hard, her hips trembling as he kept stroking her clit. "Oh God, _yes_..."

"My cock is much longer than this," he told her. "I would be so much deeper inside you, baby. Does it make you wet, to imagine my cock inside you? Where you're so tight and slick and hot?"

"Yes," she moaned. She was flexing her thighs, grinding against his hand, seeking friction.

"Ride my hand like you would my cock, you naughty girl," he growled. "That's right, I've got you... Show me how you want me to give it to you, baby."

Her knees were already up in the air, and she shifted so her weight was on the balls of her feet, then pushed herself up so her ass wasn't on the mattress anymore. She reached behind her, gripping one of his arms for balance as she began to ride his hand. He held it in place for her, his three fingers together, and she rose until just the tips were still inside the hollow of her sex, then rapidly sank down, his fingers plunging deep into her tight sex.

"Oh _fuck_ ," she sobbed, and repeated the motion. "Oh, _Ned..._ please, rub my clit..."

"Don't you want to do it, baby?" he whispered, his voice rough and deep.

She shook her head. "You, please, _please_ ," she begged him, and she gripped his shoulder as he slipped his hand between her thighs. He rubbed her clit with one hand as he held the other in place so she could fuck it, and Nancy's breath became a series of ragged sobs. Each rock of her hips was less controlled, until she was bouncing on the balls of her feet, burbling in delight as she rode his fingers. The girl in the mirror was flushed and so aroused she looked like she was on the point of pain, her breasts bouncing with her every thrust, and squatting at the edge of the bed, her boyfriend's fingers slick with her arousal as they plunged into her, over and over.

"Oh my God, oh _God!_ " She bit her lip, remembering that George was likely sleeping nearby—and that Bess and Louis might overhear.

"That's right, baby. So fucking hot," Ned growled. "Rub up against me, sweetheart..."

Ned fell back on the bed, still rapidly working her clit, and Nancy watched her reflection as she lowered her hips to his and ground hard against him, hissing at the contact of his sex against hers. She bucked as he circled her clit, then ran the tip of his thumb hard against the nub of flesh, and she panted, sobbing desperately for breath.

God. _God_. She wanted his cock. She wanted him...

When she moved her hips back far enough, so that the head of his cock came into contact with her slick inner flesh, Ned shivered in pleasure. "Fuck yes," he moaned, and she repeated the motion; he rewarded her with a rougher stroke against her clit. "Yeah, baby, so fucking good..."

Nancy trembled, her hips bucking again. "Oh _yes_ ," she sobbed. "Oh _yessssss_..."

She wanted to see his face; she had been able to see his expression in the mirror, but now she couldn't anymore, and she wanted to look into his dark eyes, to see his desire for her. She wanted to feel his weight on her. When she pushed herself up a little so her sex was no longer pressed against his, Ned groaned in disappointment, but she pushed her hair out of her face, then reached for his hand. She sprawled with her legs parted wide in the middle of the bed, her head on the pillow, and both of them were panting for breath.

"Come here," she begged him, tugging his hand, and when he came to her, fitting his hips tight between her spread thighs, she wrapped herself around him, slipping her fingers into his hair, gazing up into his handsome face.

"Fuck," Ned groaned as she bucked under him, grinding her sex against his. "Oh fuck, beautiful..."

She gasped when he suddenly grasped her hips, dragging her down the bed, then reached for her hands, lacing his fingers between hers. He pinned her hands over her head, and her legs were still wrapped around him as he arched over her and kissed her, hard, his tongue sweeping against hers.

Then he deliberately thrust his hips and she gasped against his kiss, tilting her knees back a little. He was rubbing the underside of his shaft against the slit of her sex, and she arched, returning the kiss hard as he rubbed against her again—and his cock rubbed against her clit.

She cried out, but the sound was lost in their kiss, and Ned pulled back for another thrust. His body was tight against hers and she was defenseless, pinned prone and exposed, and God, if he moved... he was so close to being inside her. He tilted the angle of his hips and ground deliberately, roughly, against her, and her inner flesh pulsed in answer, throbbing as she imagined him moving that way with her, inside her.

They broke the kiss and she sobbed in pleasure, trying to keep herself quiet, but her whimpering cries were desperate. "Yes, _yes_ ," she whimpered, and swallowed hard as she locked her gaze to his again.

"Yes?" His cock rubbed against her clit again and Nancy tensed, a shudder going down her spine. "That feel good, gorgeous?"

"Ohhhh..." She tightened her fingers between his, using her grip around his waist to buck deliberately against him, and he rewarded her with another rough thrust, groaning in pleasure.

He set up a quick rhythm against her, and Nancy found the exact angle for her hips—and the next time he rubbed against her, she had to bite her lip hard to keep from screaming, settling for a desperate pant. "Oh yes so good sooooo good," she told him, arching her back, and God, she loved the feel of his weight on her, she loved that he was pinning her down, that he had perfect control over her.

He kissed her fiercely, and she sobbed, jerking as the incredible pressure of her orgasm began to break. They writhed, rutting against each other, stealing kisses when they could, and he kept going even as she screamed at how amazing it felt, her voice so high and breathless it was almost silent. "Ned, oh _Ned_ ," she begged him, and God, she could hear how wet she was as he stroked his sex against hers.

Ned was panting as he brought his head down, and he swallowed before he whispered against her ear, "Oh, love, you're ready, aren't you..."

She whimpered, her eyes rolling back as he moved roughly against her again. She felt like she was going to die if he didn't stop touching her—but the pleasure was intoxicating, and it made her frantic, desperate.

Ned groaned and released her hands, and she immediately wrapped her arms around him again, the fingers of her right hand buried in his hair as she used the left to press against him for more leverage. He cupped her hips and angled again, holding her in place, and this time she actually did scream; she couldn't stop herself, and she was trembling as she tipped her head all the way back, baring her throat to him.

"Holy _fuck_ ," Ned snarled, and he pushed up onto his knees. She was just barely beginning to relax when he plunged his fingers into her, rubbing deliberately against her clit, and she whined in pleasure, feeling her sex pulse and clench against him as he rapidly stroked his cock with his own hand. She pressed down on the balls of her feet to rock her hips against the thrusting of his fingers, crying out every time he flicked her clit again.

"Come," he told her, and she could hear desperation in his voice. "Come, beautiful."

Her nails dug into the sheet and she sobbed as she came again, flushed and panting and undone, and this time, when he spent himself on her belly, she wasn't surprised by the sensation. He slowed his stroking inside her, and she shuddered, clenching her inner muscles against him one last time before he finally pulled his hand back.

Ned collapsed to the bed beside her, both of them panting. "God," he murmured. "Oh fuck, baby..."

Once she had recovered a little, Nancy pushed herself up on her elbows, looking at the semen he had spent on her. "I'm sorry," Ned said once he noticed what she was doing, and rolled over to reach for a tissue.

As he did, Nancy curiously dipped her finger into it. It was warm and felt thicker than she had expected, and before she could talk herself out of it, she brought her fingertip to her lips and gingerly tasted it.

Ned had rolled back onto his side and was watching her intently as she licked the trace of his cum off her finger. "Hmm," she murmured.

Ned tilted his head and she nodded, telling him she was okay with him cleaning her off, but the expression on his face was still avid. "You wanted to do that?" he murmured.

"I was curious," she admitted. "I wanted to see if I wouldn't like it..."

"And?"

"It's salty," she told him, and he chuckled. "And, I mean, you tasted me without... freaking out... is that how I taste, too?"

Ned raised an eyebrow. "Well," he murmured, and he swiped a finger against her wet, sensitive sex, making her flush and shiver in answer. He brought his hand up to her head, resting his fingertip just before her lips. "Why don't you find out?"

Nancy's flush deepened, and she locked her gaze to his before she opened her mouth, then flicked the tip of her tongue against his fingertip, just as gingerly as she had when she was tasting him.

Then she shook her head. "You don't taste like me," she told him.

Ned smiled. "Hmm. Well..." He rolled over to dispose of the tissue, then went to the bathroom and washed his hands. He came back with a warm wet washcloth and cleaned the last trace of his cum from her belly, then rejoined her in bed, pulling her against him as they settled under the covers.

"I guess what we did tonight was okay?"

"Mmm," she murmured, nodding. "Yeah. For you too?"

"Baby, anything that involves us naked and touching is probably going to be great," he told her. He moved back and found the locket, touching it with his fingertip, and she looked down at it.

"I need to take it off," she murmured. "I don't want to break it."

He nodded and lifted it over her head, putting it carefully on the bedside table.

"But I'll wear it tomorrow," she told him. "When we go out and meet your friends."

"So you really like it?"

"I love it," she told him, and pushed herself up to press her lips against his. "It's beautiful. You are so amazingly sweet."

Ned smiled and returned her kiss. "I love putting that look on your face," he murmured.

"Which one?"

"All of them." He kissed her earlobe, her neck. "I love the way you look when you're happy... and when you're wet for me... and when you come..."

"Hmm," she murmured happily, cuddling against him. "Well, I love _you_. All of you."

She relaxed against him until she knew she was about to pass out, then reluctantly slid out of his arms, clumsily crossing to the drawer to find a pair of panties and shirt. Ned groaned but did the same, finding a pair of boxers to sleep in.

They curled up again together, Nancy's back to Ned's front, his arm over her, and Nancy had slipped into that happy, slow place just before sleep when Ned released a soft sigh. She heard him whisper something, but it was too low for her to make out, and a few seconds later, she was asleep.

\--

True to her word, Bess made damned sure that her cousin was dressed in something spectacular for their dinner the following day—even though George had begrudged all of it. The three of them had gotten ready in Bess's room, and when they emerged, ready to go, Nancy descended the staircase first. She wore a short gown made of bright blue satin with a slightly longer black lace overlay and a black sequined headband, and Bess had put a soft loose curl at the ends of Nancy's hair to give it more volume. Ned's eyes lit up when he saw her, and she knew he was happy to see the locket around her neck, just as she had told him it would be.

Bess came down the stairs next, wearing a white bandage gown that clung to her curves and somehow managed to make her look both sweet and sexy, although Nancy was pretty sure that was thanks to Bess's outlandishly long lashes and bombshell-red lipstick. Her wide loose curls were perfectly arranged, and she looked like a million bucks.

George was the true showstopper, though. She wore a tight halter-necked crimson sheath with a notched bodice, along with heels that Bess had practically blackmailed her into wearing. Nancy could read the insecurity in George's eyes—she knew that her friend would have been much more comfortable in jeans—but both of them had told her that she looked totally amazing, and it was true.

Ned whistled softly as all three of them clustered at the foot of the stairs. "I am the luckiest bastard in the world," he said. "I get to escort the three most gorgeous women I've ever met out to dinner. Ready?"

He grinned at both Bess and George, but the look on his face when he offered Nancy his arm was softer and almost vulnerable in its honesty. She linked her arm through his happily, and they set off.

Nancy wasn't sure if either Bess or George had overheard what she and Ned had been doing the night before, but if they had, they hadn't said anything, and Nancy was grateful. In the shower that morning Nancy and Ned had clung together, kissing and stroking and rocking against each other until they were both gasping and spent. She couldn't wait to go dancing with him. More than that, though, she couldn't wait until she and Ned were well and truly alone again. She already felt self-conscious enough when they were together without worrying about Bess or George interrupting.

The restaurant they went to was apparently very popular. The lobby and bar areas were crowded with people waiting for tables, but Ned guided them through the crush and to a large table. Two men were already seated there, talking to each other, but they rose when Ned approached.

"Nancy, Bess, George? This is Josh Klein," Ned said, introducing a tall man with dark, wavy hair, a cocky grin that flashed his white teeth, and a firm handshake. "And this is Maury Becker."

Maury was shorter, with a shyer smile, but he wore a pair of glasses in trendy frames and his clothes were meticulously tailored. He shook hands with each of them in turn, and Nancy found that while she thought Josh was probably a heartbreaker, she immediately liked Maury. Maury and Josh both came around the table to clasp Ned in a welcoming hug, and then they all sat back down again.

"So, Fare?"

Josh snorted and shook his head. "Got held up, apparently," he said, and rolled his eyes.

He announced that he was picking up the tab, though, and their appetizers were caviar. The meal just became more ludicrous from there. Bess played off how squeamish she was about trying any of the sushi or sashimi preparations, but she did order the duck. Ned recommended the bay scallop ceviche and Nancy took the dare, and George asked about the geoduck with a competitive gleam in her eye. Josh started regaling them with crazy stories after their first round of drinks arrived—Josh and Maury had started before the rest of them had arrived—and when George asked Maury about his own work, Maury became adorably animated. Soon he was using a small piece of paper ripped from a notebook Josh always carried and a ballpoint pen to explain something Nancy didn't quite understand, but he seemed very enthusiastic about the idea.

Clark Faraday came in soon after, a statuesque platinum-blonde on his arm, and George couldn't keep her eyes off him. Nancy didn't follow sports with nearly the same interest George did, but she had to admit that Faraday was damn handsome in person, with a classic square jaw, sparkling green eyes, and a toned, muscular build. Faraday exuded confidence and the woman on his arm had an affected, bored air, in stark contrast to Bess's bubbly enthusiasm and George's quiet intensity. Nancy remembered that little hint of anxiety when Ned had told him Faraday would be meeting them for dinner, and took a sip of her drink, then reached for Ned's hand and squeezed it.

"Doing okay?" he murmured.

Nancy nodded and gave him a bright smile. "Definitely," she told him.

Maury was completely adorable in Nancy's opinion, and the more they all drank, the more his behavior confirmed it. He was a little awkward, and sometimes he was so excited by what he was talking about that his words all poured out almost on top of each other, but Nancy loved that. Josh was the clown of the group, and every story he told was crazier than the last. Josh told Nancy, very seriously, that if she and Ned stuck with Josh and his crew, he would promise her the night of her life—and while she could sense an undertone behind his words, she was also fully convinced that she just might wake up in another country in a kangaroo mascot uniform and no memory of the previous twelve hours. For starters, anyway.

Faraday's first order was two bottles of the most expensive wine on the menu, but once George asked him a few questions about his most recent game, he opened up to her between jokes and asides to the other guys. Josh was flirting outrageously with Bess before their first courses arrived, and though she teased him back just as easily, she kept their conversation light and joking. Nancy chuckled a little to herself. Maybe Bess had vowed that she would keep an eye on Ned's behavior around Nancy to see if his feelings were genuine, but Nancy wasn't having any problem deducing that Bess really had it bad for Louis. She didn't even want to take an opportunity to hook up with another hot, rich friend of Ned's when she had the chance.

Nancy enjoyed their dinner immensely, though. She liked seeing Ned around his friends. Josh was boastful but charming enough that it wasn't nearly as annoying as it might otherwise have been, and Maury was awkward, while Faraday was eager to talk about his sports career. They told the girls stories about other crazy weekends they had spent in Los Angeles, or, for Ned, Josh, and Maury, at Harvard. In most of the stories Ned was the voice of reason, the one trying to convince Maury that finding security holes in the Harvard computer system wasn't the best idea, or handling driving Josh home after another crazy night with some hot co-eds. He had apparently thrown a few memorable parties in his apartment in New York, though.

They lingered for a long time over dinner, and Nancy stopped drinking when she finished her main course so that she wouldn't become stupidly drunk or have a terrible hangover the next day. When Josh offered the end of the last bottle of wine, she took a half-flute, and when they left the restaurant all three of the girls were feeling happily buzzed. When the statuesque blonde excused herself for a moment, Nancy wasn't really surprised, but she was cautiously happy when she saw Faraday and George apparently exchanging information.

With Faraday accompanying them to the club, they were immediately surrounded in a mob of people, and flashbulbs and camera phones went off whenever he approached, a ready grin in place. The velvet rope didn't exist for the four of them; nor did it exist for Nancy, Bess, and George when they were with the guys. Ned remembered to give the guy at the door Louis's name so he could get in with no problem, and then they were inside.

Nancy had just enough time to notice that Bess and Maury were heading for the dance floor when Ned grabbed Nancy's hand and drew her away from the fans surrounding Faraday. "So," he murmured, his hips already moving confidently to the beat, "how are you doing?"

"Great," she told him, giggling when Ned picked up her hands to drape them over his shoulders, then traced her curves and rested his own hands low on her hips. "You?"

"Fantastic," Ned murmured, his dark eyes alight as his gaze flicked from her eyes to her lips, then back up again. "Totally fantastic, now."

They only parted a few times, once they started dancing together. Bess cut in, and while her best friend danced with her boyfriend, Nancy danced with Maury. Maury had ordered a few drinks after they had arrived, and she was pretty sure at one point that he laughingly made a very long Star Trek reference involving tribbles and some kind of sunrise drink, but even so he was still adorably sweet.

After a dance with Josh, Nancy found Ned again and noticed that Louis had arrived. His face lit up when he saw them, but even more so when he saw Bess, and Nancy was chuckling as Ned wrapped his arms around her again.

"What's so funny, beautiful?"

Nancy tilted her head, gesturing at Bess and Louis as Bess led him out onto the dance floor. "My best friend definitely has a thing for him."

"And I'm pretty sure he has a _thing_ for her too." Nancy shook her head at Ned, but he smiled anyway. "Mostly because I'm pretty sure he broke up with his girlfriend."

Nancy raised an eyebrow. "Really," she drawled.

After three more songs, Nancy and Ned went to the bar to get something to drink, and George came over, breathless and grinning. "Clark said we should totally hit up that club three streets down," she said. "Josh says it's not so bad. What do you think?"

Nancy and Ned glanced at each other, and Nancy wondered if Ned was thinking the same thing she was. With Bess, George, and Louis out of the apartment for a little while...

"I think... sweetheart, you feel up to it, or you want to call it a night?"

Nancy read the humor dancing in his dark eyes and decided to take a guess. "Mmm, well, these shoes aren't super-comfortable..."

George rolled her eyes. "Like _these_ are," she pointed out, gesturing at her feet. "Come on. You chicken, Drew?"

Nancy shook her head. "Just tired," she said. "But seriously, you guys should go. Unless you're nervous...?"

Ned took a sip of the water he had ordered. "As long as you remember to never, _never_ bet Josh anything, or let him dare you to do anything, you're good. He does talk a big game, but I've gotten into the craziest situations with that guy..." Ned shook his head.

Bess came over once George passed on that Nancy and Ned wouldn't be going with them, trying to convince her friend to go, but Nancy could tell that she was most eager to be with Louis. Nancy reassured her that they would definitely go out again before they went back home, and Bess reluctantly accepted that.

When they were back in the hired car, Ned wrapped Nancy in his arms, and she nestled against his neck. "Mmm. Thanks for letting me meet your friends," she told him. Her eyes felt heavy-lidded, and though she had been exaggerating a bit for Bess's benefit, now that they were on the way back to the apartment, she actually was feeling tired. Plus, Nancy realized, she had no way to know when Bess, George, and possibly Louis would be coming back, and if she and Ned started having incredibly loud sex, that would definitely be the exact moment they would choose.

Ned chuckled quietly and stroked his fingertips down her back. "Yeah, it went pretty well. What did you think of them, Detective?"

"Mmm. Maury was really sweet," she said. "Josh did seem like he would be super entertaining, and I'll just have to ask George how she felt about Clark."

"He's a decent guy. They all are." Ned kissed Nancy's temple. "But you aren't starstruck over Clark?"

She smiled and pulled back to look into Ned's eyes. "The only person I'm starstruck over is you, Nickerson," she told him, cupping his cheek, and then she tilted her face up to his for a kiss.

She could tell he was relieved, but that tension she was sensing in him didn't entirely fade. He didn't bring it up, though, just held her close to him and pressed soft, sweet kisses to her lips.

Back at his apartment, Nancy went to the master bath to wipe off her makeup and change into a deep-pink lace-trimmed slip. She kept the necklace on, mindful of how he had wanted her to wear it the previous night, and stepped out of the bathroom, her heart beating harder when his eyes met hers. Ned had already taken off his dark suit and dress shirt, and was sitting at the edge of his bed in his boxers.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she said with a smile, crossing to him.

"You look beautiful," he told her. "You always look so beautiful, baby."

She sat down beside him and he reached for her hand, then looked down at their interlaced fingers. "Nan," he said softly.

"Yes?"

Nancy could feel her own anxiety rising, and she hoped it was nothing. He had been so sweet and loving with her—but she suddenly wondered if the night before, what they had done—she had thought he had liked it, but what if she had been too into it...

She tried to dismiss that thought. He had been encouraging her; he had been in control, there at the end. It wasn't that. She hoped it wasn't that.

Ned brought his gaze up to her face again. "I wanted to ask you... and it's okay if you can't, or... if you don't want to."

Nancy flushed a little. "Okay," she said, and kept her gaze steadily on his face.

"If you can... would you like to go home with me at Thanksgiving? I know you and your family probably have plans, and I don't mind if it's just later on that weekend..."

"Oh," Nancy said, and smiled at him. "I'll ask my dad and Hannah, but I'd love to spend part of my Thanksgiving break with you."

Ned grinned, then drew her into his arms. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "So, New York? Somewhere else?"

"Um... Vermont," he said quietly.

"So you mean..."

He nodded. " _Home_ home."

His parents' home. The place where he had grown up.

He was asking if she would go home with him so he could introduce her to his parents.

The anxiety she had been feeling went up triplefold. She had met the parents of a few of her boyfriends, but it had just been a casual thing, saying hello before a date, that kind of thing. Going home with him at Thanksgiving was a lot more serious.

"I'd love to," she said softly, and gave him a soft kiss.

Ned had managed to make it through that dinner with her father and Hannah, and a grilling from Bess and George besides. She could make it through a Thanksgiving celebration for him.

The last thought she had before Ned bore her gently to the bed, her long legs twining around him, was that Bess had missed it. She was looking for longing glances and sweet gestures, and now she had missed the biggest sign of all.

Ned was inviting her to meet his parents. She wondered how many other girls had been through that, how many he had been serious about.

Well, she finally decided, it didn't matter. She didn't care how many girls he had taken home to meet his parents, as long as she was the last.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, Burlington?"

Nancy swept a lock of red-gold hair out of her eyes and nodded. The sky hadn't yet fully lightened and the bitter November wind carried the edge of ice-blue cold on it, and she shivered in her coat. She had barely been able to sleep from anticipation, and now she was exhausted, but full of nervous energy, while her father was yawning and carrying a cup of coffee. "Ned will be picking me up from the airport," she told her father. "Then we'll go to his grandparents' house today for the meal, and stay at his parents' house tonight and tomorrow. At least, I think that's the plan." She gave him a smile. "Thanks for letting me go."

Her father wrapped an arm around her and gave her a brief hug, then flagged down a cab. They were standing on the curb outside her aunt's apartment in New York, and while most of the cabs carried shoppers eager to take advantage of sales and discounts on Black Friday, Nancy was heading for the airport.

When Nancy had tentatively asked if she could spend Thanksgiving with her father and Hannah, and then spend a few days with Ned's family, Nancy had known her father well enough to sense that he wasn't unreservedly happy about it, but he didn't forbid her or express any misgivings in anything he said. Carson knew that his daughter had spent a lot of time with Ned since she had started the fall semester at UC, but she had also never asked permission to spend part of any major holiday with any boyfriend before. Nancy hated how guilty she felt about taking time away from that family time, but splitting the holiday had seemed like a good compromise.

Then Carson's sister Eloise had asked if he and Nancy would like to come spend the holiday with her and Seth, and Carson had asked Hannah if she wanted to take the opportunity to spend time with her own family. Nancy had been happy that, in New York, she was much closer to Ned. The flight would only be a little over an hour.

And Nancy really had enjoyed spending the holiday with her father, aunt, and uncle. While Carson bonded with his brother-in-law, Nancy and Eloise had done their best preparing Thanksgiving dinner in the tiny kitchen in Eloise's apartment. Nancy had been proud of the spread, though, and had even taken a photo with her phone and posted it online. Their cooking couldn't compete with Hannah's—or Louis's, for that matter—but they hadn't done too badly, either. Carson and Seth were effusive in their praise. And she had been able to spend all of Wednesday and Thursday with them, too.

Carson had asked to accompany her to the airport, though, and after she had bid a fond, if sleepy, goodbye to her aunt and uncle, Nancy and her father had taken her backpack and small suitcase down to the sidewalk. Now they easily maneuvered them into the cab's trunk, and Nancy directed the driver to the airport.

"So," Carson said, after they made some small talk with the driver about the traffic and the bitter cold. "Ned has been treating you well?"

Almost of its own volition, Nancy's hand rose an inch, but she remembered that the birdcage necklace was in her purse; she hadn't wanted to wear it through security and risk losing it if she had to take it off. "He has," she said, and smiled.

Carson smiled. "And I suppose that if he's asking you to meet his parents..."

Nancy took a long, slow breath and let it out. "Then I'm happy to do that," she said evenly. "He's important to me, and I want to meet his family."

Carson nodded. "I feel that this is a good step," he told her. "I know you care deeply for him, and he made a positive impression on me when we met, but I hated the thought that he might not treat your relationship with the same gravity, especially since you haven't been this involved with anyone else before."

She definitely hadn't been involved with anyone else the way she was with Ned, that was for sure. The more she was around him, the more addicted she felt, and the less self-conscious she felt about becoming more intimate. She had to admit that, given how close they had already been, she definitely couldn't classify herself as extra-virgin anymore, and virgin was already beginning to feel like a stretch. She had been innocent before him. Now she knew how it felt for Ned to slip three fingers up into the slick clench of her sex and lap and suck her clit until she came; now she knew how to touch him, how to pump his cock in her lube-slicked fist until he found his own release.

Carson let out a slow breath. "For some men, taking a girlfriend home to meet his parents is pretty significant."

Nancy suppressed her smile. "I know, Dad."

Her father looked over at her. "I suppose it's partially selfishness on my part, but I'd like to think it's a bit pragmatic as well. I want you to be free to do as you wish, and I hope you know that. I think it's very important for you to finish school, to start thinking about graduate schools and where you would like to go... and I can't emphasize this strongly enough, that no man is worth sacrificing your future or your dreams."

For only a second, Nancy was tempted to ask her father exactly what was terrifying him so much. Was it the prospect of Ned breaking up with her, sending her into a depressive spiral that would cause her to drop out of school, run away and join a circus? Was it the prospect of Ned _not_ breaking up with her?

But, worse than that, she thought of what Ned had suggested doing for her, and she felt almost like it was some guilty secret. When Ned had asked her why she was pursuing a criminal justice degree instead of what she loved doing, she hadn't really known how to answer, and she still didn't. He was only her boyfriend, he had no claim on her nor she on him, and for Ned to provide the overhead for her to open up her own agency was a staggering prospect. She would never expect him to do it. She could easily imagine it happening, though—and for those few brief seconds, when she actually let herself imagine what it could be like, the giddiness she felt was tinged with something like incredulousness. That she could have that kind of life...

She didn't know why, not completely, but she had a feeling that her father would be incredibly disappointed if she told him what Ned had suggested. Her father had always told her how proud he was of her, how much he loved her and would love her no matter what, but somewhere along the way that love and approval, in Nancy's head anyway, had become tied up with the idea of getting a law degree. Her detective work in her teens and even now was like a hobby, and while her father had allowed her a lot of freedom to pursue cases, she had always sensed that he saw it like training for that eventual law degree. Now that she was in school and learning about criminal justice, she wouldn't need that crutch anymore.

A part of her had thought she might grow out of it, too, just as she no longer wore pert ribbons wrapped around pigtails or thought her father giving her a pony would be the single most amazing thing that had ever happened. She had grown up, and maybe she wasn't out on her own yet, but that part of her hadn't fallen away or faded. In fact, since she and Ned had started dating, knowing that he encouraged and supported her on her cases had made her exhilarated at the prospect of another one with him. He hadn't been around for very many of them yet, and with Nancy's coursework she hadn't been able to take very many, but still. He wouldn't be moaning and asking why she had to take up time they could have spent together tracking down some suspect; he'd be right there by her side, happy to help her, or quick to encourage her if he couldn't be there in person.

She wasn't sure what she loved about him most, but that quality was definitely near the top of the list.

Even so, when she heard her father reiterating how serious he was about her education, she didn't feel like she was twenty years old anymore. She felt like she was six, meekly nodding, terrified of disappointing him, of doing anything that would make him angry at her. She had stood up where Ned was concerned, and if her father had forbid her to see him, she would have done so anyway, quietly. But her father was spending his own money on her education...

What Ned had said came back to her. He had loved what he was doing, when he was in school, and he loved what he was doing now. And if she had the means to do what she loved... Nancy had spoken to many district and state's attorneys and criminal defense attorneys in her lifetime, and she had seen firsthand how easy it was to become jaded by and disappointed in the system. Her father was the rare exception to the rule. He had struck out on his own, and become wildly successful.

Everywhere she had gone when she was a teenager, and even now, she had been able to hear it, like a perpetual hush, like some invisible letters behind her name. Nancy Drew, _daughter-of-Carson-Drew._ His name granted her entry to places Bess and George wouldn't be able to go on their own.

But wasn't that just what she was doing with Ned?

Nancy put that troubling thought out of her mind, tuning back in to what her father was saying. She and Ned had only been together a short time, and her father told her that she shouldn't let their relationship proceed at a faster pace than the one she felt was comfortable. Nancy remembered again telling her father that they weren't sleeping together, and tried hard to fight the blush she could feel creeping up her cheeks. They hadn't slept together then, and technically, they still hadn't.

The technicalities were becoming numerous, though, and as vehemently as she denied to herself that Ned had crossed any real lines, she knew that they definitely had, and that she had loved practically every minute of it.

Once they reached the airport, Carson helped unload her bags, then wrapped his daughter in a brief, hard hug. "Call me when you reach your destination," he told her. "And be safe." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Nan."

She smiled up at him. "I love you too, Dad. I'll see you at home."

Nancy checked in and felt a little dazed as she headed through security, but once she made it to her gate, she had time to think. She bought a mocha with a caramel drizzle on top to help perk herself up, and when she passed the newsstand, the row of magazines caught her eye. Bess had a Google alert set up for Ned's name—"Nan, it is _so_ not stalkery," Bess had said when Nancy protested; "It's just public information after all"—and had told her that he was mentioned in one that would be coming out this week.

She found the magazine in question and bought a copy, then headed to a seat near her gate. Many of the other waiting travelers looked just as weary as Nancy felt; most of them were bundled into heavy puffy coats, scarves dangling from the hems, calling to each other in rapid, nearly unintelligible accents. The whole place felt loud and energetic and bustling, full of life, and Nancy had finished half her mocha before she picked up the magazine to read the article. No photo of Ned accompanied it, but he was mentioned by name three times in the article, which dealt with the clean energy projects he had chosen to invest in.

Once she finished reading, Nancy sat back, taking a thoughtful sip of her mocha.

Was a part of the reason she was with Ned what he could do for her? She had told him that she loved him regardless, and she believed it, but that had been before he had made his offer.

_Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?_ she paraphrased with a sardonic smile. Would she love him just as well if he were himself, but just like her, a college student at UC, or a modest businessman in Chicago? Would she love him so well if his name couldn't grant her entry to anywhere special, if they each had to save up their own money to buy plane tickets when they wanted to go somewhere; if instead of Oscar de la Renta couture and first-class plane tickets, he gave her stuffed animals won at fairground booths and plastic tchotchkes from cheap quarter dispensers?

But he would be himself. He would be a kind, generous man who loved her and did everything he could to be with her and spend time with her. And maybe it would mean tiny cut-rate motel rooms instead of the dazzling ocean view at his California apartment, maybe it would mean frozen pizzas instead of Louis's lobster Thermidor, but those things weren't _him_. And he was what mattered to her.

Because even if he hadn't had the means to grant her her dream, something she had barely even allowed herself to imagine, she had no doubt that he would have encouraged her anyway, and done everything he could to help her.

She was in the birdcage. She felt incredibly lucky that Ned was the man who had caught her, but the more time she spent with him, the more she understood. He had told her early on that he thought he would feel this way about her no matter whether she returned it, and Nancy had never known how equally exhilarating and terrifying it was, to know that she loved him no matter what, returned or not, reciprocated or not, together or apart. It was like some intangible string between them, and even if she somehow chose to let him go, she knew it would always be there, connecting her to him. He was the first man she had ever truly loved. He was the first man whose bed she had shared. She couldn't imagine loving anyone else, or even _wanting_ to love anyone else, the way she loved him.

She was fully aware that he had been with other women before her, but that didn't matter. She had never really believed in love at first sight before, and she still didn't, but that didn't shake her irrational feeling that regardless of anything else, she and Ned were meant for each other. So he had had relationships in the past; she would never have expected him to wait for her until he was twenty-seven, and she'd had her own relationships, too.

Even though her relationships with those previous boyfriends were in no way comparable to what she shared with Ned.

But her father was scared, for her.

And when she thought about it, she was a little terrified too.

_I want to spend the rest of my life with him. Every time I see him and spend time with him, I'm more sure of that._

_It's too soon._

It was the end of November. She had met him just over five months before.

Nancy had packed light, so when the plane landed just a few minutes late, she was able to disembark and head for the terminal exit without having to wait for any checked baggage to be tossed onto the carousel. As soon as she walked into the area, though, her gaze immediately centered on Ned, and they came toward each other as quickly as they could without full-on running. Nancy launched herself into his arms, letting out a happy giggle as he swept her up.

"Hey beautiful," he murmured, and hugged her tight. "I missed you so much."

"Hi handsome," she replied, closing her eyes and just breathing him in. "Oh God, it feels so good just to see you again. I love you."

"I love you too," Ned murmured, kissing her temple, and they clung together for another moment before reluctantly releasing each other.

He was actually driving her to his grandparents' house, and Nancy teased him, saying he hadn't driven in so long that he should probably let her do it. They fell into the same ease and joy they had always felt around each other, and he asked how her classes were going, and how their Thanksgiving celebration at her aunt's house had been. When she brought up the article she had read about his project, he ducked his head and smiled, and Nancy was charmed by his modesty.

Before they reached his grandparents' house, Nancy asked if they could stop so she could change clothes. "Nan, you look great," he told her. "Seriously."

Nancy looked down at the comfortable casual jeans and mint-green sweater she had put on for her flight, her nose wrinkling. "I just want to make a good first impression," she told him. "It'll just take a minute."

Ned shook his head, but he pulled off at the next exit. While Ned browsed through the aisles in the convenience store, Nancy shut herself into a stall in the bathroom and quickly changed into the outfit she had brought, then quickly put on her makeup. She didn't want to overdo it, so she used mostly natural tones, putting on a bit of mascara and some lip gloss. Her blue eyes sparkled in her reflection when she pulled back, and though the butterflies in her stomach hadn't calmed down, at least she looked better than she had.

"Still think I should've opted for jeans?"

Ned turned when Nancy approached him, responding to the sound of her voice, and she was gratified when his dark eyed gaze swept appreciatively down and back up her outfit. She had changed into a dark chocolate-colored cowlnecked cashmere sweaterdress shot through with a subtle metallic thread and dark brown suede slouch boots, and she had put the birdcage necklace on. Her red-gold hair was held back under a cream-colored silk-scarf headband.

"Oh, sweetheart," Ned said, reaching for her hand. "You look so beautiful."

She grinned at him. "So you think this will be okay?"

"You look drop-dead gorgeous," he told her, squeezing her hand. "And Nan, don't worry. They're going to love you."

She followed him to the checkout as he bought them both sodas. "Think of how much my saying that would have reassured you when you were going to meet my dad," she pointed out.

"They _are_ going to love you, though," he told her. "Because you're amazing and they know I love you."

He kept reassuring her, but the tension in Nancy's belly just kept knotting tighter as they came closer to his grandparents' house. Ned turned into the driveway and Nancy took a slow deep breath to try to calm herself down. The driveway was long and tree-lined, and the yard looked as though it was kept meticulously maintained.

The stone house was tall and stately, three stories with gables, and incredibly imposing. Nancy had been inside actual castles, and the house reminded her of that. It looked sturdy and solid, and when Nancy looked up at the latticed third-story windows, she could easily imagine some captive lunatic or brooding villain peering down at the world from above.

"So, apartments on each coast and your own family _castle_?" Nancy asked Ned, glancing over at him with a smile on her face.

"It's not a castle," he demurred, coming around to the side entrance. "It is pretty nice, though, isn't it."

Nancy nodded. "It's beautiful."

Behind the house Nancy could see the carefully sculpted gardens now blanketed in snow and a similarly blanketed sunroom at the back, and she was awed by it all. She had been in many impressive houses, while she was investigating cases and mysteries, but she had never visited one under such circumstances. The land around the house seemed to stretch on forever.

Ned began to head to the side door, then shook his head and tugged Nancy to the left, toward the front of the house. "Sorry," he said. "Habit."

"Oh?"

"Kitchen entrance," he explained. "Grandma was always in there cooking and I'd run inside and ask if she had any cookies for me... but today, since you're the honored guest, you get the front entrance."

"Oh," Nancy said, and despite her nervousness, she had to smile at the mental image of a younger version of her boyfriend barging into a large, homey kitchen demanding a snack before tiring himself out playing on the immense lawn.

The front door was solid and dark, and it opened before Ned even had a chance to reach for the knob or the doorbell. A woman who looked like she was in her early fifties, about a head shorter than Ned, was standing there. Her blue eyes sparkled, and her hair was a deep, glossy chestnut brown; a wedding band gleamed from the base of her left ring finger, and she wore a rust-colored sweater and a pair of dark-brown tweed slacks. "Welcome," she said with a smile, glancing from Ned to Nancy. "Happy Thanksgiving. You must be Nancy."

Nancy dipped her head and reached for the woman's extended hand. "Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you so much for inviting me."

"Nancy, this is my mother, Edith Chandler Nickerson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Edith said, stepping back so she could usher them both inside. "I've heard so much about you."

"All good things," Ned reassured Nancy when she glanced up at him, the corner of her mouth turning up a little.

The entryway was spread in a rich blue and cream rug; the wainscoting was dark, rich paneling, the hardwood floor a shade lighter, and the walls above it were covered in a subtle parchment paper designed with abstract swirling cream and gold patterns. Colonial-blue brocade curtains stretched from ceiling to floor at each window. Nancy had been wondering if the house would look very old-fashioned, or like the many carefully preserved and restored historical homes she had seen, but it appeared that the house had been decorated at least fairly recently. The gleaming pewter lighting fixtures weren't marred by so much as a speck of dust, and the table in the entryway was made of a rich, gleaming wood that almost seemed to glow from the inside.

Ned's mother led them down the hallway to the right, which opened into a large family room furnished with brown leather couches and recliners, the arms dotted with brass studs, clustered around a large rustic-looking coffee table. A large, glossy widescreen flat-panel television was on and tuned to a football game, and a roaring fire was crackling to itself in a large fireplace. A bouquet of coral roses and rust-colored lilies stood in a smoked glass vase on the mantel above it. On the wall on the other side of the fireplace Nancy saw a series of white oval picture frames arranged just-so, and made a mental note to go look at them when she had a chance.

But the three men seated on the couches were the ones who drew her attention, and they stood when Ned and his mother and girlfriend entered. Immediately Nancy was able to figure out who Ned's father was; he and Ned were the spitting image of each other. He took a few steps toward them and smiled at her.

"Nancy, this is my father, James Nickerson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," James repeated, shaking Nancy's hand. "Thank you so much for joining us."

Nancy returned his smile, then shook hands with each of Ned's grandfathers. Ned's father was dressed in charcoal slacks and a blue sweater, and his grandfathers were dressed similarly well. Nancy was glad again that she had changed clothes before they had arrived.

Then Nancy was taken to the kitchen, where Ned's grandmothers were working on the Thanksgiving feast. Both of them wore aprons; his father's mother was tall and looked aristocratic, but her brown eyes were warm when Nancy greeted her. His mother's mother was shorter and reminded Nancy more of Hannah, though her hair was almost entirely white. She had the distinct wrinkled-apple cheeks, but her grey-blue eyes were just as warm.

As soon as they were introduced, Nancy asked if she could do anything to help, but both the women told her to relax. "We're almost done," Grandma Chandler said. "Just waiting for the potatoes to finish roasting. Go have a seat; we'll let you know when it's done."

Ned reached for Nancy's hand again, and when she asked just one more time if they were sure, the grandmothers shooed her away, and she joined Ned and his mother in the television room, along with his grandfathers.

In the time before the meal started, and once they had all sat down to the feast of turkey and ham, yeast rolls, corn and creamed spinach, roasted potatoes, cranberry compote, dressing casserole and macaroni and cheese, bread pudding and apple pie, Nancy found it incredibly easy to talk to his relatives. His grandparents were happy to tell stories about Ned when he was a child and listen with interest to his accounts of current projects, and when Nancy sincerely complimented every dish she tasted, she could tell which woman had made it by who protested that it was an inferior effort, all the while glowing with pride. When Ned's father said he understood she was attending the University of Chicago, Nancy nodded and said she was in the political science program, studying pre-law, and she could tell they were impressed by that answer. Again she thought of the conversation she'd had in the taxicab with her father that morning, and felt that curious fluttering in her chest.

Ned's parents and grandparents were well off, but they valued hard work, just as her father did. Ned's father worked as a realtor, and Ned's mother worked with him—and that made Nancy glance over at him before she could stop herself, wondering if that was part of why he liked the idea of helping her so much. His maternal grandfather worked as a carpenter and woodworker, and his paternal grandfather headed a nearby art museum and special-collections library, even though they were both clearly above retirement age. His paternal grandmother was a librarian, and his maternal grandmother volunteered as part of the garden club, the chamber of commerce, the historical society, the arts society...

And the members of the three other couples in the room clearly loved each other. His grandparents seemed to be comfortable enough around each other to speak their minds and joke with each other, and before the meal was over, they made Nancy promise to visit again when she could so they could show her around, especially once the weather was pretty again.

After the meal Nancy insisted on helping clear the table and clean up, even though the grandmothers again told her to go relax. She liked being around them, though, and when Ned's Grandma Chandler commented on how charming her birdcage necklace was, Nancy told her proudly that Ned had given it to her, and the older woman's eyes lit up.

"He's a wonderful boy," she told Nancy, like she was confessing a secret, then glanced over at Ned's Grandma Nickerson.

"He really is," Grandma Nickerson confirmed, shaking her head. "He's very special, and I'm glad he's found someone like you, dear."

After they finished clearing up and had loaded a stainless steel dishwasher with the plates and silverware, the women took off their aprons, and Grandma Nickerson announced she was taking Nancy on a tour. They began on the ground floor with the glassed sunroom at the back of the house, which, Nancy was delighted to see, served as an enclosed greenhouse. Hannah would have been beyond delighted to see it, and when she told Grandma Nickerson about the hybrid roses Hannah liked to grow in her father's backyard, the older woman's eyes lit up.

She was a librarian, and so the next room she showed Nancy was an immense beautifully appointed library. The heavy curtains were drawn to shield the books from damaging winter sunlight, and the room was a little chilly with no fire in the fireplace. Nancy was almost surprised to see a state-of-the-art computer on the heavy imposing desk standing before the fireplace, but Grandma Nickerson was immensely proud of the digital cataloging system she had for her home library, not to mention the immense digital library of photographs displaying her children and grandchildren.

The house also boasted numerous bedrooms and tiled, gleaming bathrooms, a formal sitting room at the front of the house, a pantry and cellar. When they went upstairs Ned tagged along, and they held hands as Ned's grandmother pointed out the framed lineage charts in each bedroom. She had traced her husband's family and her own, and each bedroom showed a different branch, complete with any portraits or photographs she had found of the ancestors. Nancy loved it, and she loved the stylistic design touches in each bedroom, the art deco and gleaming mosaics in the twenties-style bedroom, the impressive four-poster bed and colonial furnishings in the Revolutionary War-era style bedroom. On the topmost floor, instead of a disheveled muttering lunatic or pale, tragic drifting relative, they found an open, airy studio area, complete with a play area stocked with toys old and new for grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A repurposed card catalog cabinet held paints and brushes, and a large window at the back of the house provided a beautiful view of the snow-blanketed landscape, the barest hints of civilization at the edge of sight.

Nancy was still marveling at it when Ned's grandmothers and mother moved away, but Ned squeezed Nancy's hand. "We'll be right down," he told them. "I just want to show her something."

Ned's mother smiled in recognition. "We'll see you downstairs," she said.

When they were alone, Nancy shook her head. "This house..." She sighed. "God, Ned, it's amazing. It's so beautiful, and there's so much history here..."

He nodded, smiling, clearly happy that she was impressed. "That's why I love it, too," he said, and leaned down to brush his lips against hers. "And you really should come see it again when the weather is nice. We'll pack a picnic, take a horseback ride, and I can show you the grounds."

She smiled at him, her heart warmed that he wanted to plan future visits, that he wanted her to come back again. "I'd love to," she told him, standing on her tiptoes to give him another kiss.

He wrapped his arms around her. "I used to spend so much time up here," he murmured. "Grandma would come up here and paint or sketch, and I'd play... there was a rocking horse up here, and books... and I had a lot of time to explore."

Then he took her hand and went over to a small corner, between a fireplace and the wall, and touched a place in the wall. She heard a spring-loaded latch release and a portion of the wall opened; it was a small, narrow door. Nancy gasped in delight, and Ned reached into the darkness, his questing fingers finding and pulling a cord. The small space released a cold draft into the room, and the bare bulb illuminated a narrow staircase.

"A hidden passage!" Nancy exclaimed, her eyes bright as she glanced over at him.

Ned nodded, delighted that she was pleased by it. "I found it one summer," he explained. "It opens into the English bedroom on the second floor, and the sunroom on the ground floor."

"Is it safe?" Nancy took a step toward it, already half-decided to try it even if he wasn't sure.

"It should be. Just hold onto the rail."

The staircase wasn't well-insulated, and by the time they made it to the ground floor Nancy was shivering, but she was delighted by the experience. They stepped into the greenhouse and Ned swept her up into his arms, holding her close to him to warm her up.

"Ned, thank you so much for inviting me," she told him. "I love your family."

"See? I told you everything would be fine," he told her softly, brushing the tip of his nose against hers. "I knew they would love you."

They all gathered back in the large, comfortable living room to talk and relax as they grazed on leftovers, and when Nancy complimented the house and all the work that had clearly been put into it, she noticed Edith's quick, appreciative smile. Ned's father's parents were clearly very proud of the house and what it represented.

After another round of fruit salad and bread pudding, James and Edith announced that it was time to head back home, and they all hugged as Grandma Nickerson went to the kitchen to assemble some leftovers for them to take. Nancy promised to come visit again, hugging each of them in turn, and when she hugged Grandma Chandler, the older woman patted Nancy's back.

"I expect to see you at least once a year from now on," she told Nancy, mock-sternly. "Welcome to our family, Nancy."

Nancy blushed a little. "Thank you," she murmured.

Ned's parents lived a bit closer to civilization, in a two-story brick home in a nice neighborhood, the large lawn blanketed in snow. Night had already fallen, and it was bitterly cold, but inside the house was warm and comfortable. While the furnishings at Ned's grandparents' house had been heavier, more classic, Ned's mother had decorated their family home with comfortable, contemporary furniture and a sophisticated color palette. The sunken living room was organized around a large fireplace and a large television set.

"Let me put the leftovers away," Edith said, shrugging out of her coat. "Ned, if you would take Nancy's bags upstairs and show her the guest bedroom?"

Upstairs were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Ned's old room was one of them, and the second was the home office; Ned showed her to the third, which held a pair of twin beds and a dresser. When Nancy asked if the house had wi-fi so she could use her laptop upstairs, Ned told her that he would give her the password.

Nancy and Ned stayed up for a few hours with his parents, relaxing in the family room together. Ned's Grandma Nickerson had asked how the two of them had met, and Nancy and Ned had told the story together after the family lunch; all of them had been fascinated when she told them that she had been investigating a case when they had met without going into too much detail, but Ned had been the one to tell his family about her other cases. Edith and James knew about Ned's Chicago apartment, though, and when James asked about Nancy's father, he wasn't surprised by what she said about him. Either he had done his research, or Ned had already talked to his parents.

"My aunt lives in New York," she volunteered. "He's there visiting her and my uncle right now. I was able to see them for a few days before I flew up here."

"And thank you for coming to spend part of your break with us," Edith said with a smile. "I know it must have been difficult to leave them behind. This must be near the end of the school semester for you?"

Nancy nodded. "When I go back, it's two more weeks before Christmas break starts."

"You must be looking forward to that. Do you already have plans?" Edith asked.

Nancy glanced over at Ned, whose fingers were interlaced with hers. "I... well, I know that Ned will probably want to spend it here..."

Edith smiled. "We have a massive family gathering at the big house—where we just were," she said. "The whole house is filled up with people. All of James's family. We'll be going to see my family the day before. And we would love to have you back, although I know your family probably wants to see you too."

"I would love to come visit again," Nancy said. "I'll talk to my father, but if it somehow doesn't work out, Ned said something about coming back over the summer..."

Ned had also mentioned that he definitely wanted to see her for New Year's, that they would go to an amazing party—but at midnight, he fully intended to have her alone, showing her exactly what he wanted to be doing to her for the rest of the year.

Edith asked Nancy if she wanted to accompany her on a shopping trip the next day, and Nancy agreed with a smile. As they were saying goodnight, Nancy's phone chirped, and Nancy checked it to find a text message from Bess, asking how things were going.

Nancy excused herself and went upstairs, changed into her pajamas and washed her face, and called Bess back. Bess sighed with jealousy over Nancy's description of his grandparents' house, telling her yet again that she was the luckiest girl alive. Ned had said that Bess and George were welcome to accompany them to whatever party they decided to attend to celebrate the new year, and when Nancy mentioned that, Bess shrieked loudly with excitement, then immediately began hyperventilating about finding a proper outfit in time, even though December 31 was over a month away.

The house was quiet when Nancy finally hung up, and her mouth was dry from talking so much. When she opened the bedroom door, the rest of the house was dark and quiet, and Nancy felt a momentary pang of disappointment; she hadn't been able to say goodnight to Ned, and she hated that. Even though she knew they couldn't sleep together at his parents' house, that didn't mean a part of her didn't want it regardless.

Very quietly she went downstairs to the kitchen, cautiously opening cabinets until she found drinking glasses, and filled one with water. She accidentally hit a stair that creaked on her way back upstairs and cringed, but there was nothing to do about it, so she proceeded to the next.

When she reached the top of the stairs, Ned's bedroom door opened, startling her just a little. He flipped on the light, blinking at her, and he wore a pair of flannel pants and no shirt. The golden light played over the defined planes of his chest and abs. "Nan?"

"Hey," she murmured with a smile. "Sorry. Bess was on the phone—and she's super excited about New Year's, by the way."

Ned beckoned her into his room and she went hesitantly, afraid that his parents would somehow sense it when she crossed the threshold—but no alarms went off, no creaking door slammed open downstairs. She still felt nervous, though.

Ned's old bedroom was neat and orderly, and three shelves along the length of one wall displayed trophies and awards. On the wall facing his bed she saw framed photos of him with his parents and grandparents in graduation robes, high school and at Harvard. It wasn't a shrine to him, not quite, but the care that had been taken with the display... Ned's parents were clearly very proud of him, as were his grandparents.

For a terrible traitorous second, Nancy felt jealous. Ned had studied what he loved, and he was still doing what he loved. He had no doubt about it. He was happy and successful. His parents were happy with him.

And Nancy, thanks to the conversation she'd had with her father, felt both lost and certain, and thus terribly conflicted. The way her father talked about it, romance, a commitment, the part of her life she shared with Ned—all that needed to take a backseat to her education, and not just for the next three semesters, for the time she would spend in graduate school after. It made her feel just as lost and desperate as she had felt when she had gone to see Ned at his New York apartment and told him that even if they felt the same way about each other, it would be two years before they could spend any time together. Graduate school would make that even longer.

But Nancy was equally certain that she couldn't spend time _away_ from him, not if she could help it. If he was staying at his Chicago apartment, she would be there. She wouldn't skip class or labs or review sessions to be with him, Ned had promised that and she had agreed, but he had already told her that he and Louis would be happy to host study sessions for Nancy, Bess and George, to provide them with a quiet, comfortable place and snacks so they could study for their upcoming exams. And once Nancy was finished studying for the night, she had no doubt that Ned would be happy to help her relax... in one way or another, in the privacy of the bedroom they shared.

Because they did share it. Nancy didn't keep a full wardrobe at his place, but she did keep some nightgowns and underwear at his place, along with her toiletries. She loved borrowing his shirts to sleep in, but even more than that, she loved the light in his eyes when he saw her in a short silky gown she had bought specifically for his enjoyment.

She loved him. God, how she loved him.

He closed the door behind her and Nancy's heart skipped a beat, her stomach flipping. She had dressed in a long-sleeved henley shirt and fleece lounge pants, and she didn't feel that she looked sexy at all, but she also hadn't thought she and Ned would be seeing each other like this.

"Sorry," he murmured. "I wanted to show you my room..."

She took the opportunity to take a closer look at the photos and the trophies. Most valuable player, team captain, first place, championship, winner. Blue ribbons hung from several of the trophies, even as far back as elementary-school field day, and Ned chuckled when she commented on it.

"You know how it is," he said, and slipped his arm around her waist. "Only child. Everything was important to her. I think she even kept finger-paint pictures I did in kindergarten."

Nancy smiled, but she felt a pang in her heart as she leaned against Ned's shoulder, relaxing against his warmth. Her father had done everything he could to be there for her, to attend every graduation and school event, but sometimes he hadn't been able to make it, and she had understood, even if it had disappointed her. Her mother had died when she was so young that Nancy had no clear memory of her, and at times like this, she missed her so much that the loss still felt like a fathomless emptiness inside her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Nancy whispered. "I'm okay. Your parents are great, Ned."

He moved to peer into her face, then frowned. He released her and went to the bedside table to turn on a lamp, then flipped off the overhead lights. When he took her hand and began to guide her to his bed, she considered resisting, protesting, but she didn't want to. She had missed him, and having to sleep down the hall when she was aching for the feel of his arms around her...

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Nancy slipped out of her fleece pants, then glanced at the door. She slipped under the covers and into Ned's arms, and just as she had every time he had touched her, she felt some tension in her release a little. She had been so worried about making a good impression, and now that they were alone, she could finally relax.

"I don't know how to say this," she whispered.

"Just start at the beginning," Ned advised, and kissed the crown of her head.

She sighed. "Your mom seems really great," she murmured.

"She is," Ned replied. "Both of them are pretty cool, actually."

Nancy smiled and kissed his chest. "I wish I'd had that," she whispered, and she was surprised when her throat was suddenly thick, her eyes pricking with tears.

Ned moved down so he could look into her face. "I'm sorry, Nan," he whispered, and her face crumpled. "Shhh. I'm sorry."

Her sight was swimming, and she closed her eyes. "I know she loved me," she whispered. "I know she must have, but I don't remember it. And Dad, he's been amazing..."

Ned was quiet for a moment, waiting for her to continue. "But you miss your mom," he said softly. "It's okay, it doesn't mean you love him any less. And I can't even imagine how awful it would be to lose my mother, before I'd even known her..."

"And your parents are so proud of you," she whispered, and reached up to wipe her eyes. "And they've been so nice to me..."

"Of course they have been," Ned said softly. "Of course they have. I told my parents how happy I am with you, and they're happy for me."

Nancy gasped in a breath. The longer she went without saying it, the more impossible it seemed to even voice it.

"Your dad is proud of you too, Nan."

At that Nancy buried her face against Ned's chest, stifling her sobs, and he wrapped his arms tight around her. "Shhhhh, shh, sweetheart. Shhhhh. Tell me what's wrong, baby, I hate to see you upset..."

"He—" Nancy's throat tried to close up, and she gasped a few times. Her father couldn't hear her; there was no way he could. But it still felt like she was betraying him, to even say it out loud. "He talked to me this morning about not going too fast with you, m-making sure I finish school, start looking at law schools... and I... I don't know if-if I want to do that anymore..."

Ned stroked her hair, shushing her gently as she tried to get herself back under control. "He wants you to be self-sufficient," he said softly. "Didn't you tell me that, once? That he raised you well, that he trusts you, and that's why you've been able to go on so many cases?"

"Yeah..."

He ran his thumb against her wet cheek and Nancy looked up, meeting his eyes. "I get it," Ned murmured. "You're his little girl, and he's protective of you. You brought me home and he doesn't know me; all he knows is that we're spending a lot of time together and you love me. He made it very clear when we had dinner that he wouldn't tolerate me taking you away from your schoolwork. I understand."

Nancy bit her lip. "It's more than that," she whispered. "Ned... do you think I should go to law school?"

"You're the only person who can answer that, sweetheart," he told her, gently brushing a strand of tear-dampened hair off her cheek.

"Your family seemed impressed when I said I was pre-law," she said softly. "And Dad... I'm... He'll be so disappointed in me if I tell him I don't want to do that anymore."

"But it's _your_ life."

Nancy shook her head. "It's not," she whispered. "He's all I have. And just the thought of disappointing him—it makes me feel sick. I can't do it."

Ned was quiet again. "But you're thinking about it," he surmised.

Nancy wiped her cheeks again. "I want to be with you," she whispered. "I don't want to put off what we could have together while I'm in school, and I don't want to waste my father's money on preparing for a job that makes me miserable and depressed."

"Is that how you think you'd feel if you became a lawyer?"

Nancy sighed. "I think about what you told me," she whispered, "about opening my own agency... and I keep trying to tell myself that it wouldn't work, that you're just being nice and I need to just let it go... and I've always thought I'd be a lawyer or something similar. It feels almost comfortable to imagine myself that way. But it's not the same now... and when I think about my own place, about being an investigator for the rest of my life... it feels too good to be real. But I can't stop thinking about it."

Ned gave her a small genuine smile. "Nan, I swear to you, I'm not joking, I'm not just saying it to be nice. If you say the word I'll do everything I can to help you. If you decide you want to be a lawyer, I'll be behind you a hundred percent. Whatever you find that you love, that you absolutely _know_ you would never be happier doing something else? That's what I want you to do. Even if you never make a single dime at it, I'd support you in it—but I've seen you in action, and I know that if you set out to become a professional investigator, you'd have people beating down the door the first week if you wanted."

Her own smile was brief. "And Dad..."

"Your father doesn't have your life to live," Ned said, and his voice was quiet but firm. "He only has his own, and you only have your own, and you owe it to yourself to be happy. If you need room to fail, if that's what you're worried about, I can be your safety net."

Ned paused. "Is that what you're worried about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you afraid that he won't understand if you don't want to be a lawyer, or that he'll be upset if I'm the one helping you be an investigator, or...?"

"Both?" she said, and gave him a watery smile. "But I wouldn't ask you to do that."

"Because...?"

"Because I wouldn't," she murmured. "Not... not yet."

He stroked her hair again. "The fact that you're getting so upset about this... well, it means something," he told her. "And whatever you decide to do, if you make your peace with it, I will too. If this has made you realize that you want to be an investigator even without my help for overhead, it's not going to hurt my feelings, okay?"

"Okay," she murmured.

"And if it makes you happy, I'm sure your father will be proud of you, Nan."

Nancy wasn't so sure, but she decided to let the subject go. Just the prospect of telling her father about it still made her stomach drop through the floor.

"Come here," Ned murmured, and rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him so they were facing each other. He stroked her hair away from her wet cheeks, gazing into her eyes. "Baby, I love you. I love you so much, and you're going to be amazing no matter what you decide to do. Thank you for coming home with me, sweetheart, for meeting my family. It makes me so happy to have the people I love here with me."

She smiled at him. "I hate that our families live so far apart," she whispered. "I wish I could invite you to Dad's house for Christmas and not feel like total shit for keeping you away from your family."

"Well..." Ned studied her lips. "Maybe next year, I'll invite you and your dad and Hannah for Christmas, and that way we'll _all_ be together."

And maybe in a year Nancy would have had enough time to butter her father up and convince him that her relationship with Ned wasn't going to make her irresponsible or reckless. She gave Ned a slow smile, tilting her head down and brushing a soft kiss against his lips. "You're pretty amazing, Nickerson," she murmured. "You know that?"

"Well, I _did_ win first place in that egg and spoon race in third grade," he murmured with a little chuckle. "That was a pretty impressive achievement."

"I'm sure it was." Nancy kissed the point of Ned's jaw, the hollow behind his ear, and when he shifted under her, she could feel that he was becoming a little aroused.

"Do I need to go back to my room?" she murmured.

Ned reached up and threaded his fingers through her hair as he met her eyes. "Please don't," he whispered, and his voice was a little gruff.

"Are your parents going to come up here, or..." She swallowed. "Ned, I don't want them to think I'm..."

"Sleeping with me?" Ned finished, when Nancy trailed off.

She shrugged a little. "That kind of girl," she finished lamely.

"They aren't going to come up here," he told her, running his fingers through her hair. "What we do up here is between us, so just relax, sweetheart."

Nancy let out her breath in a soft sigh. "Can we lock the door anyway?" she murmured.

She slid off him when he rose to do that, and when he returned to the bed, she beckoned him around to the other side, away from the door. She gestured for him to sit down at the edge of the bed, then stood on the carpet between his open knees, cupping his face in her hands. "You're the most amazing guy I've ever met," she whispered. "And I love you so much."

Ned lightly cupped her waist, gazing back up at her. "I love you so much," he answered. "You're so beautiful, inside and out, and I just want you to be happy, because it tears me apart to see you cry, sweetheart."

She gave him another smile, then leaned down to kiss him again, and the kiss deepened until she had her fingers buried in his hair and his tongue was stroking against hers. Then she broke the kiss, sinking down as she trailed her lips down his neck, down his chest and abs. Ned let out his breath in a long soft sigh. When she plucked at the waistband of his pants, he shoved them and his underwear down, leaving him naked.

When Nancy knelt at his feet, between his legs, she could almost feel Ned shiver. "Nan, you don't need to do this unless you want to," he murmured.

"I know," she replied, just as softly. "And I want to, but I need your help."

"Take it slow," he advised her. "No teeth. My balls like some attention too. And if it gets to be too much for you, just stop. Do you want me to get a condom?"

Nancy considered for a second, then shook her head.

"Mmm," Ned hummed softly. "I'll warn you if we get to the point that I'm about to come, okay?"

"Okay," she murmured, then kissed the flesh beneath his belly button as he parted his legs wide for her. She gently stroked his inner thighs and he rested one palm gently on the crown of her head.

She studied his erection in the light from the bedside lamp, and her heart was beating faster. She wanted to make him happy—but, she reminded herself, the first time Ned had gone down on her hadn't been the first time he had ever performed oral sex. This was her first time, though.

"It's okay," he murmured. "Just take it slow, baby."

She nodded, then put her hand on his cock for the first time that night, running her fingertips down his shaft, then back up again. She gently blew on the head of his cock and he shivered.

"Do you want me to lick it?" she murmured, then looked up at him from beneath lowered lashes.

"Hell yes, baby."

She had tasted his cum before, but she hadn't tasted his cock. She took him in her hand and angled him a little, then tentatively flicked her tongue against the head of his erection, and Ned made a soft sound.

"More, please, baby. God..."

She licked it with a harder swipe, then swallowed hard and began to kiss her way down the underside of his shaft, stroking him with her tongue. He kept making soft sounds of encouragement and pleasure, and after she stroked down to the base of his cock, she gently cupped his balls, then nuzzled against them. When she licked one, Ned let out a louder groan.

"Yes," he murmured. "God, yes."

She licked the other one, and her heart was beating wildly as she obeyed the impulse to take it into her mouth and gently stroke it with her tongue. Ned's fingers tightened against her scalp, and Nancy breathed deeply through her nose, inhaling the musky, masculine scent of him as she stroked him a few more times with her tongue, then moved to the other and repeated the motion there. Ned's breathing was a little labored when she released the globe of flesh and began to lick her way back up to the head of his cock.

"Oh, Nan... sweetheart..." Ned groaned softly when she took the head of his cock into her mouth and closed her lips around it, then circled it with her tongue, flicking the tip of her tongue against the very tip. "God, that's so good, baby. Just lick and suck it, gently, like you were just doing... _shit_..." His other hand came down to her shoulder, and he squeezed it gently. "Mmmmm. God, that feels so fucking good."

She distantly remembered Bess reading one of those damn articles about oral sex aloud to her and George, and she knew she couldn't fit his entire cock into her mouth, and she didn't have any lube—he probably did, but she didn't want to stop and ask. She took as much of his length as she could, though, making sure her teeth didn't glance against his sensitive flesh, and when she moved back, she slicked the trace of her saliva down his cock with the heel of her hand, then began to stroke him in her fist the way she knew he liked, licking and sucking the head and first few inches of his cock as she used her hand to massage the base of his cock. When her other hand cupped his balls, Ned let out a deep groan.

"Shit," he whispered. "Oh shit, Nan, that is so good, so fucking good. Yeah, baby. God, that feels so good. Just a little harder..."

She kept going, bobbing up and down as she stroked him, remembering how amazing it felt for her when he took his time with it, and from all the sounds he was making, she thought he liked it as much as she did. He was often rough with her clit, but he had always cautioned her to be gentle, so she didn't let herself bite or nip at his cock. Once she took him a little too deeply and his cock brushed against the back of her tongue; she almost choked, and she had to pull back and breathe deeply for a moment, but she recovered and kept going.

"Baby," he murmured. "Fuck, _fuck_... baby, I'm getting close..."

She kept going, almost daring herself to let him finish while he was still in her mouth, but she only lasted a few strokes before she pulled back. Together they stroked his cock, and Ned shuddered; he only had to pump himself in his fist a few times before he came, and Nancy was still kneeling at his feet.

Ned let out a long sigh, his head hanging. "Wow," he whispered. "That was so good, baby. You were so good."

She smiled up at him, warmed by the genuine pleasure in his voice. "I'm glad," she murmured, and pushed herself up. "I wanted to do something nice for you."

Ned chuckled. "'Nice' is letting me have your last French fry," he murmured. "That was way, _way_ more than nice."

She took a soft breath and glanced at the door. While she didn't want to leave him, she was also terrified at the prospect of Ned's parents discovering them together, and the best way to avoid that would be going to the guest bedroom now, alone. His parents did seem to like her now, and even if she desperately wanted to be with him, she didn't want them to think she was that kind of girl.

Ned caught her hand in his and tugged her. "Come on," he said softly. "It's definitely not _nice_ for me to not return the favor."

"Ned," she sighed, weakly protesting, but she took another step toward the bed anyway. Her inner flesh throbbed a little at the thought of him going down on her.

He reached for the hem of her shirt, and a thrill went over her belly as he moved it up. She let him tug it over her head. Since she had been going downstairs, she had left her bra on, and Ned gazed at it and her panties. They were a deep eggplant purple shot through with silver threads, trimmed in thin lace.

"So beautiful," he whispered, and she couldn't help glowing with pleasure. "A beautiful redhead in lace lingerie in my bed. Sixteen-year-old me is definitely giving twenty-seven-year-old me a high-five right now."

Nancy giggled as he moved over to give her the far side of the bed, leaving her shirt and pants on the floor. "Glad I could make you both happy," she told him, her voice low.

He moved onto his side and gazed at her, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. "Do you want me to go down on you?" he whispered, his eyes steady on hers. "Lick and suck your clit while I fuck you with my fingers? Do you want to touch yourself, and let me watch, let me see how good it makes you feel when you relieve the tension? Or do you want to get on top of me and rub that sweet little pussy against my cock until you come?"

The join of Nancy's thighs throbbed weakly at his words. "I..."

He reached behind her, and she let him unfasten her bra and draw it off. "Mmm. So beautiful, sweetheart."

When he ducked his head in, drawing her nipple into his mouth and suckling against it, she looped her leg over him. Imagining him doing the same to her clit made her feel incredibly slick between her thighs. "Go down on me," she whispered. "Please, Ned. Please."

And he did, but he took his time with it, nuzzling and licking and suckling at her breasts, cupping the join of her thighs when she began to rock her hips in anticipation. She rubbed and ground herself against him, feeling the crotch of her panties growing damp, and any friction at all was welcome. He pushed down the sides of her panties by slow inches, and began to make his way down her belly, below her belly button. She rocked, moaning softly as he kissed the top of the slit of her sex, and they had kicked the covers away; she was sprawled wide, nearly naked on his bed, and if anyone came in—

But they couldn't. He had locked the door.

She let him take her panties off and opened her legs fully to him, and Ned kissed and nuzzled her inner thighs, the mound of her sex and the slit between, lapping and suckling at her clit, slowly at first. Nancy arched, burying her fingers in his hair, and when he finally began to tease her opening with his fingertips, she sucked in a swift breath, another tremor of almost painful arousal passing over her belly. She brought her other hand up and cupped her own breast, plucking at her nipple, shuddering at how good it felt.

She lost herself in the incredible pleasure of it, and he didn't beg her to come, didn't grow frantic. Instead he worked her up by degrees, gentle before he went harder, suckling before he nipped and then bit at her. Her hips were rhythmically bucking when he eased a single finger inside her, working it against her slick inner flesh until it was buried to the knuckle, and then he pulled back to work a second finger inside her along with the first.

The tension of her orgasm rose steadily in her, sending a flush to her cheeks, making her breathing labored. It grew almost uncomfortable, then unbearable, and she whipped her head back and forth, letting out little mewling cries as he suckled hard at her clit, plunging three fingers between her thighs, into her sex.

She let out a breathless cry, opening her legs as wide as she could, grinding herself against him. "Ned," she panted, her voice desperate. " _Ned_..."

Her eyes rolled back as he set up a rough, regular rhythm against her, using the ball of his thumb, his teeth, his tongue on her clit as he fucked her with his fingers. She came, her fingertips digging against his scalp, and when he didn't stop she began to sob at the incredible pleasure, her inner flesh rhythmically clenching tight around his fingers.

She didn't know how long it lasted, only that he kept going until she was jerking and begging him, undulating with his thrusts, and when he finally pushed himself up and lowered himself to her again, his hips snug between hers, her skin damp with sweat and the join of her thighs incredibly slick, she was limp and powerless, unable to do anything more than just breathe.

The underside of his cock brushed against her clit.

She sucked in her breath in a desperate cry, trying to muffle herself, and dug her nails into his back, pressing her face against his chest, whimpering as he rubbed the length of his shaft against the slit of her sex. She was still trembling from the aftershocks of her orgasm as he began to fondle her, plucking at her nipples, and she bucked under him, rutting against him.

"Feel good, baby?"

"Yes," she sobbed against his chest. "Yes... _Ned_..."

God. If he asked her, right now, if he moved...

"Nancy," he moaned, bringing one hand down to grasp her knee and draw it back, to wrap her leg around him. "Wrap your legs around me, baby. God... oh fuck, you feel so good, Nan. I want you so much..."

Nancy whimpered, and when they kissed, the taste of their sexes mingled on their tongues. She drew her nails up his back and he surged against her, the next thrust of his hips even more deliberate, and she trembled.

"Do you want me?"

She swallowed. "Yes," she panted. "Oh my God, yes, this feels so good..."

"We were made for this," he whispered to her, and she shivered when his warm breath touched her ear. "That secret, tender place inside you was made for me..."

She moaned. Her arousal and desire were roaring through her, and everywhere he touched her, every caress and stroke just seemed to inflame her more. "Yes," she whispered.

He kissed the join of her neck and shoulder, then rose over her so he could look into her eyes. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered, and if he asked her, she wouldn't be able to say no, wouldn't be able to stop herself. Though the prospect of it still scared her a little, though she still wasn't on birth control, the thought of him penetrating her and finding his pleasure in her filled her with breathless anticipation.

He locked his gaze to hers and rocked his hips deliberately against hers, her body wrapped around his, her nails digging into his back as she moved against him, in counterpoint to his thrusts. He still wasn't moving inside her, just against her, and she sobbed in pleasure as she came again, writhing under him. Looking into his eyes as he made love to her felt incredibly intimate, seeing the pleasure on his face as he touched her and responded to her body.

With a soft groan Ned reached down and she heard him rapidly pumping his arousal-slicked cock in his fist as he brought himself to another orgasm. The cool air in his bedroom felt even more intense against her slick, sensitive inner flesh, and she tried desperately to pant her breath back as Ned collapsed onto his side beside her, his breath labored too.

After a long moment she heard Ned move, and he pulled a few tissues out of the box at his bedside. They cleaned themselves up, and when Nancy glanced at the clock at his bedside, she was amazed at how much time had passed, and how little.

Once she recovered enough, she found her underwear and slipped it back on, and Ned turned to look at her as she sat up. "I'd better go back to bed," she murmured, sweeping her messy hair out of her face. A few tears had dried in the corners of her eyes, but the peace and contentment that swept over her after her release had dispelled the conflict she had been feeling, at least for now.

Ned shook his head, and when he reached for her, she came willingly to his arms. It was so much easier to give in to him, especially when she didn't want to leave. "Stay with me," he whispered. "We can set an alarm, but please stay with me..."

"Okay," she whispered, cuddling against him, and they fell asleep together, wrapped around each other, safe.

\--

Nancy headed down the stairs the next morning wearing a deep indigo sweater and a pair of dark straight-legged jeans with sturdy boots, small hoops in her ears and the birdcage necklace hanging around her neck. She could hear voices downstairs in the kitchen, and was hoping that neither of Ned's parents had overheard them the night before. She was mortified at the prospect, and even while she tried to chastise herself over it, she couldn't. She always loved sleeping with her boyfriend, and as long as they didn't know...

But that wasn't quite true. Nancy knew, and she prayed that knowledge wouldn't show on her face.

"...anyone else. Do you think she might be the one?" Edith murmured in the kitchen.

Nancy paused, standing stock-still just outside the kitchen. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, and she knew she should just walk into the room and act like nothing was different, but she couldn't make herself do it.

Nancy heard the sound of porcelain against wood. "Yeah," Ned said. Then a warmth came into his voice, and she knew he was smiling. "I do, Mom."

Nancy took a deep breath, glancing down, and knew she was blushing. She touched the gold pendant at the end of the necklace and closed her eyes firmly for a moment, then gave herself a little shake and walked into the kitchen. Edith had her mouth open and was preparing to speak, but she glanced up at Nancy, smoothly changing gears.

"Good morning," Edith said with a smile. "We have eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit; what would you prefer?"

"Good morning, gorgeous," Ned said with a smile, reaching for his mug of coffee.

"Um..." Edith wasn't staring at her as though anything was wrong or glaring at her, and she hoped that was a good sign, that their activities the night before would go unmentioned if they hadn't been unnoticed. "Some fruit and toast would be great."

Ned was going to catch up with a few projects he had going on, and so the four of them arranged to meet for a late lunch once Ned's father joined them for a coffee refill. Before Nancy left with Ned's mother, she gave Ned a hug goodbye, and he gave her a reassuring pat as he returned it.

"I'll see you soon," he told her softly. "Love you."

"Love you too," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

Then Edith directed her to a small late-model sedan in the driveway, and Nancy bundled into her leather jacket and wrapped a black cashmere scarf about her neck. As they waited for the interior of the car to warm up, Edith asked how she slept and if she had enjoyed her trip so far, and Nancy managed to answer without stammering or blushing, or otherwise giving herself away.

When Edith commented that Nancy and Ned seemed to be very happy together, Nancy nodded. "I... I have never felt this way about anyone before," she told Ned's mother. "I adore him, and he's such an amazing man. He's so down-to-earth and generous and sweet and just genuinely good, and I've never met anyone like him."

Edith smiled. "I know I'm a bit biased," she told Nancy, "but Ned really is so incredibly special." She paused for a second. "I... well, I can't go into a lot of details, but Ned had just made his first really big investment and had his first return, and he was so happy—and we were all so happy for him. He was going to reinvest, set the money aside and use it to make more so he could support more projects, and... well, the house where we were yesterday... Ned stepped in and made sure that James's father's house wouldn't be taken away from them."

Nancy's eyes widened. "Oh," she said sympathetically.

Edith dipped her head. "It's... it wasn't their fault. My brother-in-law... well, anyway. Ned set it up so they wouldn't need to worry about it anymore. And he has never for a single minute begrudged that, or even talked about it." She glanced over at Nancy. "Did he tell you?"

"No," she said softly, shaking her head.

"He doesn't talk about it. He didn't do it for recognition or anything like that. He's just that kind of man. And I've always wanted him to find someone who could be his equal, who could make him happy. His father and I both have. We're just so proud of him, and... and you're the first woman he's brought home to meet us."

Nancy's eyes pricked with sudden tears. "I didn't know that," she murmured.

Edith nodded. "There were girls in high school, but they were never serious, and once he went to school and then started working..." She shook her head. "I knew he was lonely, and since he's met you... He didn't talk to me about the women he dated before, but he tells me about you."

Nancy found a tissue in her purse and carefully wiped her eyes. She hated crying, but she hated even more that she was crying in front of Ned's mother; she wanted so much to impress her, for Edith to accept her.

Edith glanced over at her. "Are you all right, Nancy?"

"Yes," Nancy said, and her voice sounded stronger than she actually felt. "Yes. Ned is the first man I've taken home to meet my father, too. I... I love him so much, and I knew this trip was serious, but I didn't know..."

Edith smiled again. "I'm not trying to put any pressure on you," she said. "And I'm not naive; I saw the pictures of him whenever he would be out in public with whoever he was dating, but whenever I would ask, he would always say it wasn't that serious. That once he met the girl, the one girl... he would bring her home to meet us. And I know he has a good head on his shoulders, but I, in the back of my head... I know James's family name has that cache attached, but I didn't marry into the Nickerson family; I married James. His parents, my parents... they live well, but they're by no means rich, no more than James and I are. And then Ned was successful beyond his wildest dreams, beyond any of our dreams, and we couldn't be more proud of him—but then I saw the kind of girls he was spending time with, and I was terrified that some golddigger would get her hooks into him, some shallow woman who wanted his money and the lifestyle it could give her, and not him."

Even though Nancy didn't sense any accusation and rancor in her voice, she responded anyway. "I don't feel that way,"she told Ned's mother. "Not at all. I fell in love with who he is, not his money. I fell in love with him despite it," she said, and chuckled. "Because what means the most to me about him is how incredibly supportive he is, that he wants to share my life... and I've never met anyone else who wanted that, who understood me the way he does."

Edith paused for a moment. "The way he talks about you," she said softly. "I've never heard him talk about anyone else that way. It frightened me, a little. The way he thinks about you... I knew that if you were totally wrong for him, he would never see it, he is so... he is so taken by you. And I was so glad when I met you, to see that you aren't like that, not at all. Or you are an incredible actress."

Nancy chuckled. "I'm not acting," she promised. "I—Can I be honest with you? I just... He is so incredible, and meeting all of you, meeting the people he loves, I just... I love all of you and I love that you love him so much. That you're so incredibly proud of him and what he's done. Never in a million years will I understand how it happened, how I could possibly deserve it, but I love him that same way. I don't want to imagine the rest of my life without him in it, and when I look back, the person I was before... I feel so different now. I never thought I would find anyone like him. And I don't deserve him, but I love him so much."

Edith smiled. "He told me about that dress he bought you," she admitted. "And he was a little sheepish when he talked about it, too."

"The dress! Oh, that dress..." Nancy sighed. "That beautiful dress. I think maybe a part of him was just expecting me to faint at his feet, but my best friend had to tell me it was couture... and it made me all the more suspicious of him, too."

Edith asked her about the case that had brought Nancy to New York and into Ned's office, and though she had touched on it with a little detail the day before, she told Edith about it. Looking back on it now, Nancy could see in a way she hadn't before how Ned had managed to get past all her usual defenses almost immediately, and she told Edith that.

"My friends like to tease me that I was born suspicious," she admitted. "But Ned... I couldn't believe that he was involved with the murder case, even though I tried as hard as I could to keep him on the suspect list. Not to mention how hard I was falling for him. He's the first man I've ever loved, and I... I want him to be the only one. The way you were saying that he's almost blindly in love with me? I know I'm that way with him, too, and it's terrifying, in a way. I trusted him with my life when I had barely known him a week. I haven't even known him six months and it's like I've known him my entire life."

Edith glanced over at her again, as they walked together through the mall. "Oh, sweetheart. You _are_ in love."

Nancy glanced down, tightening her grip on her purse strap. "He's so amazing with the presents he's given me... and I was wondering if you could help me figure out what to give him for Christmas." She bit her lip. "And I'd love to find something for you and Mr. Nickerson, and Ned's grandparents too..."

"And your family?" Edith asked. "I'd love to do that for your family, too."

By the time Nancy and Edith met James and Ned for lunch, the women had amassed their fair share of shopping bags, and Nancy felt like she had known Ned's mother for a long time; she was almost disappointed that they had to stop the conversation they had been having. Edith was so easy to talk to, and she had been so sympathetic over the death of Nancy's mother, and it had poured out of her the way it only rarely did, her fear that being raised without a model for that kind of behavior and relationship had left her lost when it came to Ned. She knew only that she loved him, that he made her feel whole and safe and loved in a way she never had before. And the tension she could sense between her father and Ned, in her father's cautiousness about their relationship and how deeply Nancy loved him... she reflected on it only in the privacy of her own head, but Bess and George didn't understand it, and she wondered if Edith might. Nancy hated how she was torn between the two of them, she hated that she felt like she had to choose, and that if she chose Ned, her father wouldn't love her anymore.

She was being foolish. She knew she was. And when she looked into Ned's eyes, when he rose to pull out her chair for her and let his fingertips drift over her shoulders after she sat down, a part of her absolutely knew that she would let the world burn if it meant saving him, that it might break her heart to disappoint her father but losing Ned would hurt her in a way she could never heal.

_I'll find a way_ , she told herself, reaching over to squeeze Ned's hand, smiling at him in response. _I have to. Because I can't walk away from this. Not from him, not anymore._

"I've just been telling Nancy that we'll be expecting to see a lot more of her," Edith said brightly as she sat down. "So no more whisking her off to exotic destinations for every holiday, Ned."

"Yes ma'am," Ned said with a smile. "I'll do my best to get her here when I can... as long as she wants that."

"Of course I do," Nancy said with a smile. "I think your mom and I have a _lot_ more secrets to tell each other."

"And embarrassing baby photos to share," Edith said with a wink.

Ned groaned, glancing over at his father. "At least it's two against two," he commented. "You're on my side, right?"

James held up his hands. "Sorry, son. Your girlfriend is cute as a button, and I learned a long time ago to agree with absolutely everything your mother said." Ned's father winked at Nancy, and she laughed.

"Guess I'll just have to encourage you to come back to my side," Ned told Nancy, and kissed her cheek. "Think I could do that?"

"Maybe," Nancy murmured, pretending to think about it. "Maybe. But your parents _do_ seem to be pretty awesome, so it'll probably be difficult."

"Good thing I'm up for a challenge," Ned murmured, and gave her one last squeeze.

After the two of them had placed their orders, while Ned's parents were talking to the waiter about the specials, Nancy reached for Ned's hand, and he turned toward her.

"I love you," she whispered, holding his gaze. "I love you so much."

He squeezed her hand in return. "I love you too," he murmured. "I'm so glad you're here with me."

"Me too," she whispered.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hi Antonio," Nancy said with a sunny grin as she stepped into the vestibule at Ned's apartment house. The interior was deliciously warm after the snowy, blustery January weather in Chicago. "How are things?"

"Can't complain," Antonio told her with a smile. "Keeping warm?"

"Trying to," Nancy called back, shifting her backpack on her shoulder as she called the elevator to ascend to Ned's apartment. "Keeping my boyfriend out of trouble?"

"Never," Antonio chuckled back.

February was only a few days away, but the weather and the lack of breaks in Nancy's school schedule was making her depressed. Ned had told her he would be able to spend a good deal of time in the city, though, and when she could fit it into her schedule, she headed over to his place for study sessions and meals after class and over weekends.

She was surprised, though, when she keyed into Ned's apartment and heard George's voice. "Are you _kidding_ ," George was muttering loudly, standing in front of Ned's enormous flat-screen television. Nancy could see four textbooks and a pair of binders open on the dining room table, but George was standing in the living room.

"George?" Nancy asked, letting her backpack slide from her shoulder to her elbow. "What's up?" She hadn't known that George was planning on hanging out at Ned's that night. She didn't object; half the time when she was hanging out with Ned, her best friends were there too. She was just caught off guard.

George turned and gave her a smile. "Oh. Hey, Nan. The ref is being a _total_ asshole on this game."

"Ahh," Nancy said. "Makes sense."

Louis came out of the kitchen wiping his hands with a towel. "Hi Nancy. Beef bourguignon for dinner since it's so cold, if that sounds okay to you."

"Sounds great. Thanks, Louis." Nancy let her backpack drop the remaining foot to the plush carpet and unzipped her coat. "Uh... where's Ned?"

"Oh. Bess wanted to talk to him for a minute." George rolled her eyes and put the remote control down. "Guess I should get back to studying, anyway..."

"Ahh." Nancy smiled and accepted Louis's offer of hot chocolate with whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings as she began to work on taking off her sturdy winter boots.

Bess and Louis had gone on a few dates, and Bess had a plan for Valentine's Day, but she needed Ned's help. Her plot involved Ned's yacht, and convincing him to let Louis have that weekend off, and Nancy wasn't quite sure exactly what else.

Nancy thought it would be sweet for Louis to have the time off so he could spend it with Bess, but she had told Bess that it was Bess's job to talk Ned into it. Ned was obviously fond of both of Nancy's best friends, though, so Nancy didn't think it would be too difficult.

Bess and Ned walked in when Nancy was just pulling her textbook and binder out of her bag. Nancy glanced up, and her eyes lit up as soon as she saw him. He wore a navy blue sweater and dark-wash jeans, and even though they had only been apart for three days, she launched herself up out of her seat and into his arms with a happy cry.

"Hey beautiful," Ned murmured, holding her tight. "Missed you."

"I missed you too," she told him, closing her eyes as she slipped her arms around his shoulders and embraced him in return. Bess and George were accustomed to seeing the two of them together, and over time Nancy and Ned had grown more comfortable with displays of affection in front of the cousins, holding hands, holding each other, sharing sweet kisses. Nancy still felt uncomfortable doing anything more where they might be overheard or discovered, and she still only discussed her and Ned's sex life with Bess in the most general terms, but it made her happy that the three of them got along so well—and that, whenever Nancy was in the room, Ned only had eyes for her.

Ned kissed her cheek. "You're staying over tonight, right?" he breathed into her ear, and Nancy shivered as she nodded.

Bess was almost bursting with excitement, though. "Nancy," she told her friend, "you seriously have the most amazing boyfriend ever."

Reluctantly Nancy released him and glanced between the two of them, one eyebrow arched. "Well, _I_ know that," she said, and squeezed Ned's hand before she sat back down at the table. "Any reason in particular today?"

Bess nodded eagerly. She wore a powder blue and white cardigan and straight-leg jeans, and had her hair up in a curled ponytail; she looked preppy and sweet. Nancy wore a grey sweater with a red fox on it and skinny black jeans; she had started dressing a little better since she and Ned had been dating, but she still favored comfortable, casual clothes whenever she could wear them.

Bess grinned. "He..." Then she glanced in the direction of the kitchen. "I'll tell you later."

Bess and George stayed for dinner, and the five of them ate arugula salads with lemon olive oil vinaigrette to start, garlic mashed cauliflower and potatoes with the rich, delicious beef stew, and individual apple tarts with cinnamon vanilla ice cream to finish. Every now and then Nancy glanced over at Bess and Louis with some interest in her eyes, but for the most part she was far more interested in her boyfriend.

After the fall semester had ended but before Christmas, Nancy had invited Ned to dinner at her father's house and they had exchanged presents. Nancy had told Hannah that Ned's mother was sending presents, and so she and Hannah had picked out gifts to send to Vermont with him for Ned's family, and Hannah had been delighted at the prospect of meeting them at some point in the near future. Nancy had decided to wait to break that news to her father, though.

Shopping for Ned had been incredibly difficult, and when she had talked to Ned's mother about possible ideas for what to get Ned, Edith had confessed that since Ned had more than enough money to buy anything he wanted, it was hard for her to find things for him too. More often than not Edith and James usually gave him something that had more emotional value than monetary value.

So Nancy had racked her brain, and when she had finally come up with something, she'd had no idea if Ned would like it or understand. Just in case she had bought him something else too.

They had waited until they were back at Ned's apartment for the night to exchange gifts, at Nancy's insistence. Ned had gone first, and when Nancy had opened the small box he gave her, she had gasped loudly. The diamond earrings he gave her were utterly perfect, sparkling brilliantly against the black velvet of the box. They were genuine and definitely not tiny, but they weren't oversized and gaudy either. Nancy had bit back her initial protest that they were far, far too much, especially compared to how small her gift to him was; she remembered how he wanted to make her happy, and she knew that the gift didn't come with any string attached. Instead of protesting, she had told him that the earrings were incredibly gorgeous and he was amazing, and he had been delighted to please her.

Then Nancy had taken a deep breath and told him that she had two presents for him. The first was a pair of cuff links in the shape of small sailboats, and Ned had chuckled when he opened them.

"Thanks, sweetheart," he told her, giving her a kiss. "You didn't have to buy anything for me, but thank you."

"Now, now," she told him sternly, a look of mock approbation on her face. "If I don't get to protest, you don't get to either."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." She gave him a small grin. "The other present... well, it's not much, okay? I mean, I considered maybe buying you a Bentley, or a surplus fighter jet just so you'd have something available for those weekend trips to Europe..."

Ned had laughed. "All very considerate," he told her.

"But then I decided on this," she said, and blushed just a little when she handed it over. Her second present had been a slimline CD case. She had scrawled on the disc in Sharpie, " _N+N First Christmas =)"._

She hadn't included a tracklist, though, and he raised an eyebrow at her before he crossed to the stereo and loaded the disc into his player. Nancy had waited to give him his presents until they were alone, just in case he didn't like either of them.

Then he sat back down beside her on the couch, and she took his hand in hers. "These are songs that remind me of you," she told him softly. "Of us."

"So they're our songs?"

"If you want them to be."

They had listened to the entire CD together. She had put one frivolous song on there just to make him laugh, and the rest she had agonized over, hoping they didn't seem too painfully earnest or naive or sappy, hoping he didn't hate any of the songs she had chosen.

After the second song, she had turned to him. "I don't have a ton of money," she told him softly. "And if there was anything at all you wanted that I could give you, I would have loved to give you that..."

"I told you, Nan," he murmured, stroking her hair away from her face. "You are all I want and all I need. Anything else... anything else is great, and this? It means a lot to me that you would take the time to do this. To give me something that required your time... and you. You don't like to talk about yourself." He traced his fingertips down the side of her neck. "This feels like I'm getting to see a new part of you, and I love that."

Now it was almost a month after that night; she and Ned had spent Christmas day apart, but they had called each other the night before and the night of, and every day they were away from each other. Ned had taken Nancy and her friends out for New Year's Eve in New York, and she had worn the earrings he had given her. Their evening together had been amazing; Bess still talked about it with hushed tones of something like reverence in her voice. Nancy and Ned had spent the night together in his penthouse apartment in New York, wrapped around each other, so incredibly happy at the prospect of a new year together.

And, when the spring semester had started in January, Nancy had made an appointment at the student health clinic and asked for a prescription for birth control. She had been with Ned for six months and she knew she loved him, and Bess had told her that she would have to wait a month after starting the pill to have otherwise unprotected sex.

She had decided not to tell Ned she had gone on the pill. She wanted the decision to have sex to be hers, and she didn't want to tell him that they would have sex on Valentine's Day if she changed her mind beforehand. Ned had always been sweet and incredibly patient with her, and she didn't want to disappoint him if she lost her nerve.

A part of her thought that losing her virginity to him on Valentine's Day felt a little cheesy, but she didn't even know yet what their plans were for it. She wouldn't have minded staying in—but they wouldn't be, not if Bess would be stealing Louis away for a special night together.

After Bess and George bid them goodnight and Louis cleaned up the kitchen and took the breakfast order, Nancy and Ned were alone. Nancy had another assignment to finish up before the morning, and they sat together on the couch, Ned watching television, his palm resting on Nancy's calf. She had her bare feet tucked under his thigh to warm them.

When she finished up, she closed her laptop and placed it on the coffee table, then gave Ned a bright smile. "Done," she told him with a sigh. "Now, where were we..."

She moved over to cuddle against him, and Ned slipped his arm around her shoulders. "I had something to ask you," he said, and kissed the crown of her head.

"Oh?"

"Mmm-hmm. Valentine's Day... your passport's in date, isn't it?"

Nancy's heart was beating a little faster as she pulled back to look into his face and search his eyes. "Yeah," she said. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well... I've been invited to a Red and Black Ball near a resort in Canada, and it's Valentine's Day weekend. I thought we could head up there after you get out of class Friday, go skiing or hang out by the fire Saturday before the dance, then come back here and recuperate on Sunday. But only if you want to."

"No... that sounds like fun," she told him with a smile. "I've never been to anything like that."

"It's a gala opening," he said, his lips curving up. "Of course. It's really beautiful up there. Have you been?"

Nancy nodded. "Montreal and Quebec," she told him. "And Alaska a few times. But I haven't had nearly the opportunity to explore that I wanted. I'd be happy to go with you, Ned."

He gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Well, I thought about just buying you another dress, but... well, I mentioned it to Bess—she _really_ wanted to know what our plans were—"

"Did she ask to borrow the yacht?" Nancy asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah," Ned admitted with a small grin. "I'll have a crew on board to run it, though, so it won't be a big deal—unless she invites three or four death metal bands on board or something."

Nancy chuckled. "Anyway, I'm sorry. What were you saying when I interrupted?"

"I can hire a stylist," Ned told her. "That way you'd actually have a choice about dresses, and Bess said you freak out about—getting dressed up, so she said maybe I could have someone do your hair and makeup for you and all that, that it would be sweet. But I didn't want to spring something like that on you. I can take you to pick out a dress..."

"But if I wanted to surprise you..."

"Then the stylist could help you with all that," Ned said with a smile. "And, sweetheart—money is no object, okay? I mean that. I don't care what the price tag is on the dress you want. I know that you'll look totally gorgeous in a five-dollar dress or a five-thousand-dollar dress. Just don't worry about that."

Nancy searched his eyes. She had a basic black dress, but she knew that Ned wanted to show her off, and she wanted to look gorgeous for him. "Okay," she said, blushing a little.

Ned gave her a delighted grin. "Great," he said happily. "Now, as you were saying, where were we..."

Nancy giggled when Ned swept her up and carried her to the bedroom. "In here," she said, and ran her fingers through his hair as she kissed him. "Mmm. God, I've missed you so much."

"Not half as much as I've missed you," he murmured before kissing her again.

\--

When Nancy walked into Ned's apartment that Friday afternoon, the first person she saw was a woman she didn't recognize. Nancy froze immediately, already on alert.

Then Ned walked into the room, an apology on his lips, and saw Nancy standing there. "Hey beautiful," he told her, coming over, a smile on his face. "Sienna, this is Nancy. Nancy, Sienna."

The woman stood and walked over to Nancy, but she didn't focus on Nancy's face for more than a few seconds. Instead she swept her gaze down Nancy's body, carefully evaluating her frame and silhouette. "Hmm," she said, tilting her head.

Nancy had worked a few cases with fashion designers, and while she wasn't exactly discomfited by the focused objectivity of that gaze, she didn't find it all that friendly either.

"Stylist?" she asked softly, glancing over at Ned.

He nodded. "Sorry. She just needed to help you pick out a dress today in case it needs to be fitted before we leave."

Finally Sienna looked Nancy in the eye and gave her a brief smile. "Okay. I brought a selection with me—can you do four-inch stilettos?"

"Um," Nancy said, casting a mildly panicked glance back over her shoulder at Ned as Sienna directed her to one of the spare bedrooms.

When she walked in, Nancy couldn't help gasping. Bess would have fainted out of sheer jealousy. Red and black formal gowns in a dozen shades and fabrics filled the room, and Nancy could tell at a single glance that they were all expensive.

"Okay," Sienna said, looking around. "I've got a Zac Posen here, a Nina Ricci, Donna Karan, a couple Jason Wu, Elie Saab, and a couple Dolce & Gabbana. Mr. Nickerson would prefer you in a jewel-toned red to coordinate, though, and there's nothing in the Oscar de la Renta collection that would work unless we commission a gown on a rush job—"

"No, no," Nancy protested. "No. I'm sure we can find something here."

For the next hour Nancy tried on gowns. Sienna had already been told Nancy's general measurements and body type, and the gowns almost all seemed to fit her like very expensive, very gorgeous and occasionally skintight gloves. She tried on a sleeveless velvet gown slit practically to her waist, but neither she nor Sienna liked the way the neckline made her bust look. She tried on crepe and silk and satin, dresses that made her feel sophisticated and desirable.

Then she put on the next-to-last gown and turned to see her reflection in the mirror, and immediately gasped. "This one," she told Sienna in the same breath. "Oh my God, this one."

She looked like a princess. The deep-red silk gown was incredibly beautiful. It was a crepe back satin two-piece with tiered detailing at the waist that nipped in and gave her a clean, slender shape. The v-neck top was deep without exposing an abundance of décolletage. It had a mermaid silhouette, fitting tight at her hips and then flaring out from the knee, and when Nancy turned, she had an actual train at the back. She let out a little squeal, her eyes bright.

Even Sienna looked impressed—Nancy could tell from the infinitesimal twitch her upper lip gave as she swept her gaze up and down the dress. "Mmm. Let's try on the last one, just in case," she said, and gestured for Nancy to turn around so she could start wrestling her out of the dress.

That was the one she wanted, though; the last dress she tried on was a close second. Sienna had Nancy put on the mermaid cut dress again and walked around her, making sure the fit was perfect and that she didn't need to make any adjustments. She was handling all of it; all Nancy needed to do was show up wearing underwear and Sienna would take care of the rest, even down to her jewelry.

Nancy's head was still spinning a little when Sienna began to pack up the dresses again. She walked back into the living room, but Ned wasn't there; she found him in the kitchen with Louis, and both men were grinning, chuckling about something.

Then Ned looked up and his gaze met Nancy's, and his grin softened into a smile. "Find something, sweetheart?"

Nancy nodded slowly. "Yeah... when you set your mind to something, you really don't believe in half-measures, do you, Nickerson."

He shook his head as he reached for her and laced his fingers between hers, guiding her to the living room. "Nope. Not in general."

They sat down on the couch and Nancy cuddled up against him. "She's going to do everything," Nancy said, a hint of awe in her voice. "Everything. I don't need to worry about anything other than being alive at the time."

Ned chuckled. "Is that okay? I just didn't want the dance to be stressful for you..."

Nancy moved to look into his eyes. "Yes, it's okay," she told him with a smile. "I want you to be proud to have me as your date, after all."

"You know that's not why I'm doing this," he said.

"I know. It's still the truth, though." She moved and rested her head on his shoulder. "I hope you like the dress I picked."

"I know I will, Nan," he told her, reaching up to stroke her hair.

That night, when they went to bed together, the whole weekend in front of them, Nancy put on the silver slip she had first worn for him at his California apartment, and when she came to him, the knowledge that soon the pill would be in effect, soon she would be able to sleep with him... She just gazed at him, her heart beating a little faster in anticipation.

"You okay?" he asked, gazing back at her from the bed.

She nodded slowly, crossing to her side of the bed, and slid beneath the covers.

"Talk to me," he murmured, reaching for her. "You've been quiet tonight."

Nancy hadn't realized that. She moved over to him, swinging over his lap, and they were both sitting up facing each other, her thighs straddling his hips. She reached up and cupped his face, gazing directly into his dark eyes. The knowledge quivered on the tip of her tongue, but she still felt reluctant to say it.

A part of her was still sure that somehow her father would find out she was on birth control and lose his mind. Even though he kept emphasizing how important college and her education were, she didn't think he would go along with her precaution, not if he was already worried about her relationship with Ned distracting her from her plans.

His plans. They were his plans.

Ned turned his head and kissed the ball of her thumb, gently. He radiated calm and concern, and his large palms were warm as they lingered against her hips.

Nancy released a soft sigh. "This is the longest relationship I've been in," she told him. "Is it... for you?"

He shook his head. "But it's the most serious," he told her softly. "I love you so much, sweetheart."

"I love you too," she whispered, and her gaze dropped to his lips. Then she smiled. "You keep setting the bar so high. If we're doing this for Valentine's Day this year..."

He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek too, smiling. "You think I won't be able to impress you like this again? The only reason I'm not whisking you away to a cozy French chateau to seduce you by candlelight and champagne is that you have to be back at school on Monday morning."

Nancy's stomach flipped a little at the thought. "Have you done that before?"

He shook his head. "Paris on Valentine's Day, yes. But with you..." He ran his fingers through her hair. "I want to spend time with you. With other people, it was about sex, and filling the time with _things_. They couldn't hold my attention. Not the way you do."

She gave him a slow smile. "And you'd seduce me?"

"If you wanted me to." He leaned forward and kissed her gently, the corner of her mouth, the point of her jaw.

"Isn't that the opposite of seduction?" she murmured, sliding the fingers of one hand into his hair as he nuzzled against her neck.

"Not with you, beautiful," he murmured against her skin, and he kissed her collarbone, the join of her neck and shoulder. "You're special, Nancy. And with you... I want to take my time."

"Mmm." She closed her eyes, bowing her head as he caught the strap of her gown between his forefinger and thumb, slipping it down as he kissed her other shoulder. She wondered if he could feel how fast her heart was beating against his lips. "So if you wanted to..."

"To do what, sweetheart?" He reached beneath her arms and lifted her so she was standing on her knees, and he trailed soft kisses against the tops of her breasts, above the thin fabric of her gown. She could feel his breath through it, and it made her shiver.

"To... have sex," she whispered.

Both straps of her gown had fallen down, and Nancy knew she was flushed when Ned tipped his head back to look into her eyes. "I do," he said softly, his voice so deep that it sent another shiver down her spine. "When you're ready."

"And what will you do when I... when I'm ready?" She cupped his cheek, searching his eyes.

"I'll take a long weekend with you," he said, as she let her knees slide apart again and sank back down onto his lap. "I'd take my time and make love to you, and when you were sure, when you wanted to take that step, we'd go slowly. We'd work our way up to it... and since I know you haven't had much experience, I think that would probably be the best thing."

"And after we had sex?" she whispered.

He smiled at her. "After the first time it would only keep getting better, Nan."

She gave him a brief smile in return, and he cupped her cheek again. "Baby... I don't want you to be nervous about it, okay? What we've been doing together, that's been great, and we won't take that step until you're ready."

"We've been together six months," she whispered. "I just... I don't want you to get tired or bored with me..."

"I never could," he said, his voice low and serious, and he tipped her chin up so he could gaze straight into her eyes. "I never will, Nan."

"Even if I'm not ready..."

"Even if you're not ready yet," he told her. "Baby, what we do together... when we make love... that's what I want."

"We make love," she whispered.

He nodded. "We make love," he agreed. "And before you, I'd only had sex. I can wait for that. I much prefer this." He stroked his palm down her side again. "I want to please _you_ , sweetheart. I want you to enjoy it... and I'm addicted to you, to all of you, but especially the way you look at me when I'm making you come..."

She let out a soft sigh, her stomach and inner flesh clenching in anticipation. "And I love to do that with you," she whispered, leaning forward, and she kissed his neck. "It feels so good, Ned, so perfect..."

"Good," he murmured, and caught the hem of her gown in his hands. "And with us, it won't just be sex."

"What's the difference?" she murmured, letting him pull her gown off, and a delighted shudder ran all the way down her spine as he nuzzled against her bare breasts.

"When I have sex with someone, it's to make me feel good," he murmured. "But with you... it's because I want to share it with you. I want to show you how much I love you."

He rolled her onto her back and kept nuzzling and kissing her breasts, and she ran her fingers through his hair, arching her back. Even after they were both naked, he took his time, kissing her inner thighs, stroking his fingertips over the silk-smooth skin of her calves, laughing when she rolled over with him and straddled him, then swept her hair out of her face.

It was love, she realized again, looking down at him. She was entirely naked with him, and unashamed; when he caressed her with his gaze or his fingertips, she savored the feeling and returned it. She kissed his abs and let her fingertips lightly drift up his inner thigh, and he sighed in pleasure, then drew her back up so he could kiss her lips. When they rolled over again, when he was on top of her and pinning her down, they moved together, each craving the feel of the other's skin. She felt a thrill of nervous anticipation, but her desire was stronger, and had been for so long.

She wanted him. Oh God, how she wanted him. He rolled onto his side and pulled her leg up to fold it over his hip, so that she was open and exposed to him. She gazed at him in speechless desire as she cupped his cheek, and he kissed her fingertips, her palm. When he gently brushed his hand over the join of her thighs she shuddered in response, her lips parted.

"You're so beautiful," she whispered, and whimpered softly when he pressed the heel of his hand against her, arching in a delicately liquid movement. "You are so amazing, Ned... and even if all we did—on Valentine's Day—was feed each other—strawberries in bed, and make out— _ohhh,_ that feelsso _good_... no matter what we did, I would be happy to be with you..."

He smiled at her. "Me too," he murmured. "Oh, Nan..."

The stroke of his fingers against her skin became firmer, more deliberate, and he caressed her, suckled against her until she ground against him. She rubbed the join of her thighs against his upper thigh, and then they rolled over and at the first brush of his cock against her sex, she shuddered. He laced his fingers between hers and pinned her down, kissing her hard between his thrusts, and when they rolled over again she pinned his hand over his head, and she knew he could break her grip but he let her pretend, using his free hand to pluck at the sensitive tips of her breasts.

"Ned," she moaned, shivering. They had kicked all the covers away and she was naked in the moonlight, her flesh glowing and damp from her arousal as she gazed down at him. He was too much, and she couldn't have enough of him, she would never have enough of him. "Oh God, I love you."

"I love you too," he murmured, and when he pulled her to him again, she cried out as he brushed against her sex. She clung to him, her legs twined around him, and he was panting, nipping at her neck, her shoulder as they ground together.

She didn't know how long they were locked in that embrace, and she didn't care. She knew that in all likelihood he had condoms, that if she asked he would find one and then take that final step with her, and the thought of it made her shiver. Before she had met him, she had never understood how Bess could become so absorbed in her relationship with a guy. Sharing this intimacy with Ned, though, could consume her, and she wouldn't even care.

By the time they parted, both gasping for breath, Nancy was trembling from the aftershocks of her orgasm, and Ned kept his arm slung across her belly as he collapsed to the mattress. She shuddered under his touch, her arm still wrapped around his shoulders. Her thighs were slick with arousal, and the cool air felt delicious against her heated flesh.

Finally Ned caught his breath and opened his eyes with a sigh. "Mmm," he murmured. "You okay?"

She nodded, reaching for the tissues, and handed him one before she wiped her own thighs. All too quickly the sweat cooling on her skin made her shiver, and she found her panties and the silver gown again, pulling them back on before she bundled under the covers.

Ned pulled her into his arms and kissed the crown of her head, and she let out a soft contented sigh. He hummed quietly under his breath.

"Mmm?" she murmured, already half drowsing.

"I love when you make that sound," he murmured. "And then you let me hold you."

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," she murmured, nestling against his chest.

\--

Nancy went to the mall alone a few days before they were going to leave for the trip, feeling incredibly self-conscious as she went to the lingerie section of one of the upscale department stores. She had wanted to go to a specifically lingerie store, and had been through a few of them with Bess and George, but her father would definitely notice if he saw a charge from Victoria's Secret on his credit card bill, and Nancy didn't want to have that talk with him.

Finding something to wear the night she was planning on losing her virginity to her boyfriend was already stressful enough. She didn't want anything too revealing, but she didn't want something that looked timidly modest, either.

She went to the dressing room with an armful of gowns, and by the time she gave up the search, she couldn't make up her mind between two of them, so she decided to buy both. One was a delicate blush-pink satin chemise trimmed in black lace with a matching thong; the skirt was very short, and reached just the tops of her thighs. The other was black lace, low cut in the front without being too revealing, and the back was laced with ribbon ties. The skirt was longer, but the laces meant the gown could be molded tight to her curves. She splurged on a short black silk kimono that would work over either of them, and when she was at the checkout, she felt her nervousness heighten a little.

She had been on the pill long enough for it to be effective. And he had said he would take it slow with her...

_What if I'm not good at it; what if he doesn't like having sex with me? What if_ I _don't like sex? Oh God..._

She reminded herself again that he didn't know, and if she was too nervous, she didn't have to sleep with him on Valentine's Day. He seemed to really love it whenever she had oral sex with him, anyway, and if she couldn't find the nerve to ask him if he wanted to sleep with her, she knew he would probably go for that instead. And then, maybe, he would return the favor...

_Stop worrying,_ she told herself. _If it feels right, we'll do it. If it doesn't, we won't. No big deal._

But it felt like a big deal. Ned had been her first in a lot of ways, but this particular way seemed incredibly important. She could only share her first sexual experience with one person.

She loved him so much, though, that she hated the idea of being that intimate with anyone else. She didn't want him to be only her first.

But she didn't know how to say that, or even if she should. Ned had never given her any indication that the way he felt about her was lukewarm or temporary, or that he was dying to get married. But then, she remembered when her father had asked him, and Ned had said that he was going to take things exactly as fast as she wanted.

And it wasn't hard to think about their relationship from the outside, when they weren't together. When they _were_ together, though, all she felt was desire. She craved him. She loved the sound of his voice, the sight of his dark eyes, the feel of his skin against hers. She loved anything they did together. She loved that her friends had warmed to him, and that he was so generous with them. And he was so incredibly supportive, and...

And she loved him. She loved all of him, every single thing she knew about him, every bit of him. Her heart swelled with it when she locked gazes with him. The most natural place in the world for her was his arms.

She packed for their trip on Thursday night, and by the time Ned called to tell her he was on his way Friday afternoon, she was nervously pacing in her small dorm room, gently touching the birdcage pendant hanging from the chain around her neck with her fingertips. She had told her father and Hannah that she and Ned were taking a little trip together, and Bess had been exuberant about her plans with Louis. Nancy had been too nervous to say anything. Plus, if she told Bess what she was thinking, Bess would _definitely_ pounce on her when she returned and demand details.

Nancy headed downstairs with her small bag—since they were only going to be gone for the weekend, she wasn't taking Bess's requisite fifteen ensemble changes—and stepped out into the faint sunlight just as Ned's towncar pulled up. The trunk opened at the same time the back door did, and then Ned stood, his beautiful dark eyes immediately locked to her face.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Nan."

She gave him a slow grin. "Happy Valentine's Day," she replied, and Ned took her bag to place in the trunk, then gathered her into his arms. When their lips touched, she felt almost giddy, even above her anxiety.

"Ready to go?"

Nancy nodded, swallowing. She had always felt incredibly aware of Ned whenever they were near each other, but when she was feeling so anxious, just the sensation of his skin against hers as he helped her into the car was almost too much.

Their flight was uneventful, and Nancy was glad. They sat in the first class section next to each other, Nancy's head on Ned's shoulder, and her heart beat a little faster every time he shifted against her or she felt his breath against her skin. He wrote a few emails, and then he asked Nancy about her next school break.

After spring break, which seemed to fall unbelievably late in the semester, the next break was summer—and that by itself was enough to make Nancy's stomach flip. Without school to keep them in Chicago, they could go anywhere. Nancy hadn't seen Ned's house in France yet, and he told her that he would do whatever she wanted. They could travel all summer; they could spend a long weekend at the Nickersons' house in Vermont, with Ned's parents and grandparents and some of his other family members. They could spend part of it in Chicago, near Nancy's family and friends.

Before that, though, Nancy knew she would need to talk to her father. She had spent summers traveling with Bess and George before, but spending an entire summer with her boyfriend was another matter entirely.

She couldn't deny it was a tantalizing possibility, especially when the car pulled up in front of a massive luxury resort, the scene framed by snow-covered mountains. The lobby was a study in understated, tasteful opulence. Plush spotless carpeting lined the edges of the gleaming parquet floor, and a large stone fireplace with a roaring fire inside drew Nancy's wide-eyed attention.

Their suite, however, was another story. As soon as the bellhop unlocked the door and ushered them inside, Nancy gasped.

"Please let us know if the flowers are not to your specifications, Mr. Nickerson."

"They look great," Ned said, as Nancy walked forward. An enormous bouquet of hydrangeas, orchids, lilies, and roses in various shades of pink, white, and purple stood on a table at the front door to greet them. The suite was enormous, and Nancy saw another bouquet of pink, red, and white roses and hydrangeas on the coffee table between the couch and television set.

"Oh, Ned," she whispered. "Oh..."

She heard the bellhop talking to Ned, but she walked toward the bedroom door as though in a dream. On the dresser beside that television set she found a bouquet of purple and white orchids, and a dozen long-stemmed deep-red roses in a vase beside the bed. They were perfect, and the exact same shade as her dress.

"Excuse me, miss."

Nancy moved to the side as the bellhop brought their bags into the bedroom, and then she glanced back up at Ned. "Ned, you shouldn't have," she began, shaking her head, but her eyes were shining.

He smiled. "Since we're celebrating here, I wanted to make sure it was nice," he told her. "So you like them?"

"Oh..." Nancy came to him and stood on her tiptoes, drawing his face down to hers for a kiss. "Ned, they're all so beautiful. I hate that I won't be able to take them home."

"I'm glad you like them," he murmured, and returned her kiss.

Since they had some time, they changed and went up to the ski lift near the resort, and Nancy, feeling daring, immediately challenged Ned to a race. He laughingly accepted, and as they zoomed down the slopes, their skis making soft whishing sounds as they moved through the snow, Nancy laughed at the sheer glee of it. She and Ned kept casting glances at each other, and whenever one moved ahead, the other redoubled efforts to make up for the loss.

And Ned was competitive, but he wasn't insane about it, Nancy was glad to see. They made it down the mountain at the same time and he didn't accuse her of cheating or immediately, angrily challenge her to a rematch. They took the lift to the top again, leaning against each other, and on their second trip down Nancy admired the graceful athleticism of his movements, the way he confidently navigated down the trail.

Once they were tired and ready to clean up and get dressed for dinner, they headed back to the suite. Nancy unzipped her windbreaker and noticed Ned's gaze lingering on her in anticipation. The suite's bathroom was marble, glass and stone, and the shower was definitely big enough for them to share.

The water finally warmed up enough for them to step inside, and as soon as she did, Nancy turned to look up into her boyfriend's eyes. "Hey beautiful," he murmured.

"Hi handsome," she replied, smiling. "Thank you so much for bringing me with you."

"Of course," he murmured, stepping forward so he had her pinned in the corner. His gaze slipped down to her breasts. "I wouldn't come without you, Nan. I hate when I have to leave you behind in Chicago; I love waking up to see you beside me. And I can't wait until this summer, when we'll be able to spend a lot more time together." His gaze was locked to her own again. "Please, baby."

She found herself nodding, letting out a slow breath. "Yes," she whispered. "I hate sleeping without you, too."

She slipped her arms around him and he kissed her neck as he cupped the join of her thighs, and when she parted her legs she was panting in anticipation. She kissed the point of his jaw, the side of his neck between whimpered sounds of encouragement, and he pressed her against the tile, working his fingers and thumb in her sex and against her clit until she was sobbing in pleasure, her hips jerking in time with his touch.

After their shower Nancy put on the only dress she had brought with her, since Sienna was bringing her ballgown separately; Nancy wondered if even now the red dress was on a mannequin, perfectly pressed and ready for her to put on Saturday night. The dress she wore for their Friday night dinner, though, was a deep grey-purple, ankle-length, in shimmering satin. She straightened her hair with a velvet-lined iron and it fell in a shining curtain around her face. Her last addition to the outfit was the birdcage necklace.

Ned wore a black suit with a dark shirt and a silver tie, and when he saw her, he shook his head. "You look so beautiful," he told her.

She smiled at him. "You look incredibly handsome," she told him. "Very smooth. Are you sure we have to go out?"

"Well, I think Bess would be pretty disappointed if I called Louis and told him we'd decided to eat in," Ned said, a gleam in his eye. "Why?"

"Because sometimes I just don't want to share you," Nancy said, with a smile.

"Right back at you, sweetheart."

He took her to a beautiful upscale Japanese restaurant; the menu consisted mostly of sushi and sashimi preparations, with hibachi for those patrons who weren't in the mood for raw fish. Ned ordered first, opting for the chef's special, and Nancy did the same. She noticed his little appreciative grin when she didn't chicken out and order hibachi.

While they were waiting for their entrees, Nancy asked Ned when he had first tried sushi, and he told her about a spring break trip he had taken with some friends at Harvard during his sophomore year. They had ended up at a Japanese restaurant because one of the girlfriends accompanying them was on a special diet, and Ned hadn't even known how to handle chopsticks back then. She noted with some slight amusement that he seemed to have them totally mastered now.

They were in the middle of their meal when Josh Klein came over, introducing his date to them. Josh told Nancy that she looked great, and she smiled, ducking her head. Josh was going to be at the gala opening as well, but he had decided to make a week of it. When he asked if they would be interested in joining him, his girlfriend, and a few other friends for an outing on Monday night, Ned apologized and said they would be leaving Sunday. They agreed that they would definitely catch up next time.

"Ned," Nancy murmured once Josh had left, and Ned glanced up at her, his eyebrows raised a little. "Look, I don't want to make you leave if you don't want to. I mean..."

Ned shook his head. "You're not making me leave," he told her. "And I want to spend all the time I can with you for Valentine's Day, so please don't stress it, all right? I can catch up with Josh anytime. I can't catch up with _you_ anytime."

When the selection of rolls and sashimi arrived, Nancy watched him deftly manipulate his chopsticks, and her heart began to beat faster as she considered it again. Under her low-backed gown she wore adhesive breast covers and a pair of tiny silver lace panties. When they went back to the room, she could put on one of her gowns...

"Nan? You okay?" Ned's voice broke through her reverie, and she shook her head as she brought her chin up. Ned was just lowering his drink, and he was gazing at her curiously.

"Yeah," she replied with a smile. "Sorry. Just... feeling a little nervous."

"Don't worry. Sienna's told me that she'll be here in the morning with your dress and everything will be fine. She wanted to give you the Oscar treatment—call in an army of beauticians and all this stuff, spend a solid five hours before the dance getting you ready."

Nancy furrowed her brow. "But it'll take me maybe five minutes to get into the dress, and I can't imagine the makeup would take that long..."

"Plus, I didn't ask you to come up here with me just so you could spend half a day getting ready for a dance that _wasn't_ going to involve a member of a royal family." Ned lifted his drink again. "I'm sure she can still do that, if you want...?"

Nancy shook her head. "Bess always says it's hard enough to get me to sit still for twenty minutes," she said. "Besides, I think the brochure said something about ice skating and tours down the river?"

Ned chuckled. "You mean you don't want to stay in the room and let me feed you chocolate-covered strawberries?"

Or, considering what else they might be doing tonight... Nancy took a deep breath. She remembered what Ned had told her about the girls he had taken on trips before. "In all honesty... while that sounds amazing, when I travel for cases, most of the time I don't have time to really appreciate where I am," she told him. "Like I said, I've been to Canada before—but I've spent all the time I've been here tracking down criminals. And our suite is totally beautiful, but we'll be there all night—and what's the point of us being here if we can't enjoy it? Otherwise we might as well be back in Chicago or New York."

Ned tilted his head. "Point taken," he told her with a smile. 

"Besides, _who_ dragged me to a national park over my fall break?"

Ned chuckled. "It got me alone with you, didn't it?" he said, picking up another sushi roll.

After their meal, they split a dish of ice cream and headed back to their room. In the backseat of the taxi, Ned drew his fingertips up the pale underside of her forearm, traced the line of her collarbone, and when his lips finally met hers, Nancy's were already parted.

"You look so beautiful tonight," Ned whispered into her ear after their kiss, the heel of his hand brushing the side of her breast, and Nancy's nipples were already tight in anticipation. "And, since it's almost Valentine's Day, mind if I take my present," he nipped at her neck, gently, and she let out a shivering sigh, "back to the room and unwrap her?"

While his touch always made her heart pound, a nervous thrill tightened her belly as she nodded in agreement. She wanted to feel his skin against hers, but they were wearing so many clothes...

And the thought of his weight pinning her down, those deft fingers teasing and caressing her...

She kissed him, running her fingers through his hair, and then kissed him again and again. He had told her so many times that he loved her, that he wanted her and wanted to be with her. She was still afraid, but she felt curious too. She had always hated that when they reached orgasm, they had to be apart, and to feel it together, with each other—God, she wanted it so much.

"I want you," she whispered, her lips brushing his earlobe. "I want you, Ned. I want to..."

Her voice trailed off as Ned sucked gently on the sensitive flesh just below her own earlobe. "Yeah," he whispered, his voice husky. "I know you do, baby. My beautiful girl."

She shuddered as he worked his way down her neck, a shudder of anticipation trailing down her spine, all the way to the join of her thighs. She swayed with him as he he kissed her shoulder, her collarbone.

In the back of her mind she had halfway planned to excuse herself and put on the pink chemise when they arrived, but as soon as the door was closed behind them, without asking or begging, Ned found the zipper of her dress and eased it down, his lips still pressed to hers. Nancy dropped her purse and toed out of her shoes, her spine arching as together they took her dress off, and she couldn't take her gaze off his as they dropped the gown on the floor. The air in their room was comfortably warm after the freezing temperatures outside, but the shock of it against her bare skin still put a sensitized shiver down her spine.

Ned cupped her breast, then made a disappointed noise against her lips when he felt the adhesive cover against his palm. "Take this off," he growled, and Nancy sighed, obeying him as he set his lips to her neck again. Her breasts were sensitive, her nipples firm peaks as he caressed her again, a soft pleased growl vibrating against her skin.

He picked her up, and she reached for his tie, pulling the knot down as her lips brushed his adam's apple. He placed her on the arm of the couch and she tugged his jacket down, then began to work on the buttons of his shirt as he kissed her again. He teased the lace band of her panties and she moaned, bringing her heels up onto the arm of the couch as he moved forward. She knew they needed to take things slow, but she set to work on his fly, and soon he was down to his underwear.

The lights were still off in the suite, and when she pulled back, panting, her legs twined around his, she gazed up at him and saw his dark eyes gleaming as he looked back at her. Her lips parted and she flushed a little.

_I'll know_ , she told herself. _I'll just... I'll tell him when we get there._

"Take me to bed," she whispered.

He cupped her hips and gently placed her on her feet, and they left her thin lace panties on the floor in the living room area as he carried her, naked save the birdcage necklace, to the bedroom. She kept her arms wrapped around him, kissing him over and over, and then he lowered her to the bed, her legs twined around him.

She let out a soft whimpered cry when the tented front of his underwear brushed against the tender join of her thighs, and he reached down to slip the garment off, kissing her again. The press of his lips against hers wasn't gentle; it was demanding, insistent, and Nancy wondered if he had sensed that she was ready, if she wouldn't even need to say anything. That sent another shudder over her.

Ned paused when he slipped his underwear off, gazing down at her. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Are we going too fast?"

Nancy let herself take a breath, her legs open to him. "No," she murmured, shaking her head. "No, we aren't."

They weren't. She didn't want to believe they were.

He returned to her and she wrapped herself around him, breathless and waiting. He parted the outer lips of her sex and let the underside of his shaft rest firm and hot against her slick inner flesh, and Nancy felt herself flush in answer. She wanted him to move against her, she wanted to feel him inside her, but he kissed her, and when his hips bucked she trembled again.

He rolled over with her and when she was astride him, she took a trembling breath. She didn't know what to do when they were like this; she only knew to rub against him, but that wasn't sex. She needed him to show her what to do if they were going to have sex this way, and the thought of asking him made her nervous again.

Ned cupped her breast and Nancy bit her lip. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much, Nan. You make me so happy."

She nodded. "Every second I'm with you," she whispered, canting her hips against his, "I feel like I'm dreaming, I love you so much..."

He kept massaging and fondling her breast as his other hand moved between her legs, and she tipped her head back, the silken tips of her hair drifting against her shoulder blades as she cried out in pleasure. She moaned his name as he kept rubbing the ball of his thumb against her clit, and she rocked against him in answer, such delicious tension building inside her.

She could ask him. She could try to move so that he would be inside her...

She shivered again, her anxiety growing. She needed him to do it. He would know what he was doing, and while in most situations she hated being out of control, in this one she felt so nervous being _in_ control.

The tip of Ned's thumb brushed her clit and Nancy gasped, arching her spine. She parted her knees a little more and ground deliberately against his cock, and Ned groaned in reply. "Yeah, baby," he growled. "Oh, yeah. Just like that."

She didn't have the will to stop him, so she tilted forward, propping her weight on the heels of her hands so she could have the leverage she wanted, and she kept rubbing herself against his cock as he stroked her clit. She locked her gaze to his, her breasts bouncing with every thrust of her hips against his, and soon Ned was panting, his caress more desperate.

"Oh yeah, Nan," he groaned. "Oh yeah, you feel so good... so sweet and wet..."

Her lips parted and she felt it at the tip of her tongue, but as she imagined him rolling her onto her back and driving his cock home inside her, she felt herself tense, then crash over the cusp of her orgasm with a panted, sobbing cry. "Oh yes, oh _yes_ ," she cried, her hips jerking as she trembled with her climax. "Oh _Ned_..."

"So fucking hot, baby," Ned told her, panting. "Can you jerk me off, sweetheart?"

She nodded, still whimpering as she pushed herself up so she could wrap her fist around his cock, and Ned plunged three fingers between her thighs. She screamed in pleasure, her fingertips drifting against the hot, arousal-slicked flesh of his erection before she took him in her hand.

She rode his fingers as she pumped his cock in her fist. They were both desperate, their hips moving in time with each other's thrusts, and it was as though in some strange way they were having sex. Nancy kept whimpering and sobbing her pleasure, and Ned was fucking her rapidly with his fingers as she leaned down and kissed him, feeling him stiffen against her.

"I love you," Nancy gasped, his seed hot on her palm as she felt his fingers still inside her. "So much, baby. So much."

She collapsed to the bed beside him, and for a moment all she could do was breathe. She was sprawled naked, still trembling a little from her orgasm, and they were on top of the comforter, not even underneath it. Finally she was able to move again, and she groaned as she pulled herself up, heading for the bathroom.

"Babe?"

"Have to wash my hands," she murmured.

"Shit. I'm sorry," he said, and she heard the mattress springs creak faintly as he pushed himself up too. They cleaned themselves up, and then Ned took her hand and guided her back to bed, moving under the covers with her. They were both still naked, and when he embraced her she nestled against him.

She wanted to feel disappointed, and part of her did—but she also felt relieved. They had the next night; they could take things slower then.

"I love you," Ned murmured against the crown of her head, and she shifted against him. Distantly she could hear the cold wind whipping around the walls of the resort, but in his arms, against his bare skin, she felt safe and warm.

"I love you," she whispered. "You and you alone, baby."

He kissed her temple, her cheek. "Yes," he whispered. "Now and forever, Nan."

\--

The next morning, Nancy had just picked up the flimsy silver lace panties they had left on the living room carpet the night before when they heard a knock at the door. Ned had gathered her discarded gown, purse and shoes, but he glanced up at the summons. "Ahh. Sienna," he predicted.

"Shit," Nancy hissed, tossing her panties in the direction of the bedroom. She had tossed the breast covers onto the floor the night before, and she peeled one delicately off the floor, frowning as the adhesive stuck.

Ned's eyes were dancing as Nancy tossed all of it into the bedroom and shut the door. Another knock sounded. "Sweetheart," Ned pointed out gently, "I doubt she would be scandalized by seeing any of that..."

"I know," Nancy murmured, as Ned moved to the door. "I just... it's between us, okay?"

He smiled. "I know," he said, and opened the door.

Sienna stepped in and impatiently gestured for the bellhop to bring in the dress in its elaborate bag. The stylist had an enormous duffel bag slung over her shoulder, too. "I'm going to need an hour and a half before departure, all right?" she said, glancing between the two of them. "For hair, makeup, all of it."

Nancy cast a despairing glance at Ned, and he couldn't help laughing. "It's just one night," he reminded her. "Don't pout at me, Nan, or I'll call Bess and get her to talk to you."

"Not fair," she sighed, but her lips were quivering. "Okay, hour and a half."

"More if we need to wax your legs!" Sienna called as Nancy and Ned headed out.

For a moment Nancy toyed with the inconceivable idea of asking Sienna to give her a bikini wax too, and she had to smother a chuckle. She was more open to the idea than she had been before, but she still couldn't imagine actually having someone do that to her—and definitely not Sienna. The woman was so briskly efficient that Nancy couldn't imagine it would be pleasant. "Beauty is pain," Bess liked to tell George, her voice serene, whenever she pinned her cousin down and tried to pluck her unruly eyebrows. Sienna would probably agree.

"What is it?" Ned asked.

"Nothing," Nancy said, her eyes dancing, as they summoned the elevator car. "Just thinking that if Sienna's any good, an hour and a half of prep will be worth it if you have to pick your jaw up off the floor."

"That was going to happen anyway," he told her, slipping his arm around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze before they walked onto the car.

In the time they had before Sienna had claimed Nancy, they took a trip down the river, observing wildlife and listening to the tour guide, and ate a light lunch at a cafe they found at one of the stops. The weather was incredibly cold, and Nancy wrapped her scarf around the lower part of her face. Her scarf was impossibly soft pale grey cashmere, and Ned had given it to her a few weeks earlier. She spent the majority of their sightseeing cuddled up to his side, his arm around her shoulders, and whenever she glanced over at him, he gave her a warm smile.

They stopped for an early dinner on the way back, but Nancy wasn't able to eat much. She was nervous about the gala, but she was also nervous about what was going to happen after. She drank most of a soda, but she couldn't eat more than a quarter of the salad she had ordered. Ned reassured her again, telling her that no matter what she was going to look beautiful, and she gave him a small smile.

When they returned, Sienna had commandeered half the suite, and told Ned that he was to stay in the bedroom while they worked. The large conference table was completely taken up by a vast array of heated hair tools and powders, creams, and brushes. On Sienna's command, Nancy put on a loose button-down shirt and let her get to work.

One hour and twenty-five minutes later, Sienna let her hands fall to her side, thinning her lips as she gazed at Nancy's face. The dress was making her feel warm, but Nancy had a feeling that was only her nervousness and the heat from the tools Sienna had used on her hair. "Mmm," Sienna murmured. "All right. I think we're good. Here."

They didn't have a full-length mirror, but when Sienna guided Nancy over to the bar area, which had a mirrored back, Nancy was startled by her own reflection. The person she saw there wasn't a twenty-year-old college student; she was a sophisticated, elegant woman, almost regal in bearing, with straight shoulders, deep-red lips, her hair in a sleek, shining updo with a sparkling black velvet and rhinestone band around it. Nancy had wanted to wear the diamond earrings Ned had given her, but Sienna had insisted on a pair of sparkling ruby drop earrings.

"Okay. Take the necklace off," Sienna said.

Nancy shook her head, raising her hand to touch the birdcage necklace. "Look, I let you change my earrings, but I'm keeping this," she told Sienna firmly. "Ned gave it to me and I want to wear it tonight."

Sienna's eyes flashed. "It doesn't go with that dress."

"I don't care," Nancy replied. "I want to wear it."

When Ned came out of the bedroom wearing a classic tailored tuxedo, Nancy's mouth went dry. She had seen him dressed that way before, but the sight never failed to take her breath away. He was adjusting his cuffs, but when Ned's gaze settled on Nancy, his hands dropped to his sides. "Oh, Nan," he murmured. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Nancy blushed, reaching up to touch her necklace again. "Please tell her that you want me to wear the necklace," she told him. "She wouldn't let me wear the earrings you gave me..."

"That necklace doesn't go with the dress," Sienna insisted to Ned.

"Nan, it's okay. You can leave it here." Ned's dark-eyed gaze was locked to Nancy's as he reached into his pocket. "I have something else for you to wear tonight."

When he brought out a medium-sized box, Nancy felt her eyes prick and swallowed the sudden lump of tears in her throat. Sienna would probably slap her if she let a pair of sentimental tears ruin her flawless makeup. "Ned," she murmured.

Ned stepped forward and opened the lid to show her what was inside. She saw a beautiful gold bracelet set with heart- and pear-shaped rubies, each surrounded by a cluster of sparkling diamonds. Her sight blurred a little with tears as her gaze went from the bracelet to Ned's face.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Nancy."

"It's so beautiful," she whispered. "Oh..."

He took it out of the box and reached for her hand. "Do you like it, sweetheart?"

"I love it," she whispered, taking a breath as he fastened the bracelet around her slender wrist. The feel of his skin against hers sent a shudder down her spine, and she could hardly believe how beautiful the bracelet was. Nor could she imagine how much it must have cost him.

"See? Much better," Sienna said in approval as she reached for the clasp of the birdcage necklace. "This will be here when you get back."

Nancy still frowned a little when Sienna slipped it off her. "I want to keep it with me," she told the stylist, and Sienna handed it over without protest, letting Nancy put the necklace into her small jeweled clutch. Nancy had investigated far too many stolen jewelry cases to leave the beautiful pieces Ned had given her in their hotel room.

Sienna and Ned helped Nancy into her wrap before they departed, and once they had managed to fit Nancy's dress and train into the car—it wasn't that hard, but Nancy found it more difficult to maneuver in the tight-fitted dress and her high heels—Ned turned to her again. "Sweetheart, I mean it—you look amazing," he told her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I feel like a princess," she told him softly. "You—you really think I look pretty?"

"More than pretty," he told her, lifting her hand so he could brush a kiss over her knuckle. "You _look_ like a princess. You're gorgeous, Nancy, and I am so proud you're with me."

The gala opening even had a red carpet entrance, lined in photographers with flashing cameras. Nancy and Ned posed for a few pictures, Nancy's arm through Ned's, before they headed inside. The large, high-ceilinged lobby area was lined with banquet tables and flutes of golden champagne, strawberries and raspberries, and dark chocolate petit fours to go along with the red and black theme. Clusters of tables and chairs had been placed at each end of the room for those who didn't care to dance, and a four-piece band played in the corner, fronted by a man in a tuxedo.

Nancy's heart was beating faster as soon as they walked inside. Part of it was her anxiety, but more of it was knowing that with every moment, she was closer to the moment when he would take her back to the room... and she would slip out of her elaborate gown and into her black lace nightgown, and set out to seduce her boyfriend.

"Shall we?"

Nancy glanced up at Ned, swallowing, then gave him a smile. "Definitely," she told him.

Entering a room on Ned's arm was much different than entering it on her father's arm. Those who greeted her father gave her indulgent smiles or told her how much she had grown; those who greeted Ned were introduced to her as Ned's equal, and most of them greeted her with the same warmth they showed him. The men saw her as a young beautiful woman and gave Ned congratulatory nods on his good luck; the women who saw Ned as desirable saw Nancy as competition, and while their greetings were cordial enough, Nancy could sense their jealousy. The older women, the happily married ones, greeted both of them with sincerity.

They decided to have some champagne and dessert before dancing, and Nancy was happy to take advantage of the opportunity to take her weight off her incredibly high heels in preparation. At the first sip, Nancy's eyebrows went up. The drink tasted significantly stronger than the usual champagne.

"Hmm. Champagne cocktail," Ned murmured as he put his flute down. "You okay? I can go get you a glass of water."

"No, it's fine," she told him with a smile. A few drinks would help lower her inhibitions for what was going to come later.

Josh came by their table, his date on his arm. "Ned, Nancy," he said with a smile. "You two look great."

Nancy smiled as Ned returned the compliment. When Josh asked if Ned would let him have a dance with his spectacularly gorgeous date, the woman on his arm raised her eyebrow and asked if they were swapping partners, casting a clearly speculative glance at Ned. Josh was handsome in his own right, but Ned was in a league all his own, in Nancy's opinion.

Ned glanced over at Nancy, who was feeling stuck. She didn't want to forbid Ned from dancing with someone else, or hurt Josh's feelings by turning him down. On the other hand, she also really didn't want to dance with anyone else.

"We'll see," Ned replied, turning back to Josh. "After all, if I let Nancy dance with you, God only knows what would happen. We're in another country, after all."

Josh grinned. "Afraid I'd show her a better time, Nickerson?"

"Definitely not," Nancy replied before Ned had time to speak. "That isn't even a possibility."

"Oooooh," Josh said, and chuckled. "Well, no fear then, right?"

After they faded back into the crowd, Ned chuckled too, turning back to Nancy. "Hmm," he said. "You know I definitely am not going to make you dance if you don't want to."

"Oh, I do want to," she told him. "But with you."

"Well. If it isn't Ned Nickerson."

Nancy and Ned both glanced up, to see a devastatingly gorgeous brunette approaching their table. She wore a black silk dress cut practically to her navel, and her violet eyes were heavily lashed and startlingly beautiful. She was tall, her curves perfectly proportioned, and from the expression on her face, Nancy knew that this woman had slept with her boyfriend.

"Cassandra," Ned replied, his voice even. "Cassandra Laroche, Nancy Drew."

Nancy and the brunette nodded at each other, but Cassandra barely spared her a glance. "Haven't seen you around any of the old haunts in a while," she told Ned, her voice a study in drawled ennui.

"I've been spending a lot of time with my girlfriend," Ned replied, giving the woman a polite smile. "You're looking well. If you'll excuse us, though, we were about to head out onto the dance floor."

"Be sure you save one for me," Cassandra said, her voice low with promise.

Nancy finished off her second flute of champagne cocktail before she and Ned started dancing, and once she was in his arms, she gazed up into his eyes, telling herself not to make any comment on it. What did it matter? He was with her now, and as long as he had been faithful to Nancy during their relationship, the other women he had dated meant nothing to them now.

Unless he was tempted.

When a waiter came by with another tray of champagne flutes, Nancy took one.

It had been so long since Ned had had sex with anyone else, and he would undoubtedly expect a lot. And Nancy was afraid, even though she wanted to sleep with him. Cassandra and women like her radiated sultry, seductive confidence, and Nancy felt like she radiated only nervousness and timidity. Despite Ned's reassurance, Nancy could still feel a quiet certainty at the back of her mind that he wanted someone bolder, someone who knew how to please him in bed. And seeing Cassandra—tonight, when they were in bed together, when she was awful at sex, he would remember Cassandra and the women like her, and wonder why he had ever started dating a virgin in the first place.

"Nancy," Ned said softly.

Nancy glanced up at him. "Hmm?" she murmured.

Ned tilted his head down a little, gazing into her eyes. "You're quiet," he replied. 

She gave him a quick small smile. "Sorry," she replied. "Guess it's the champagne."

Ned leaned down and kissed her earlobe gently. "You are the most beautiful woman in this room," he murmured. "And I love you so much. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she murmured. "I'm sorry. I'm a little preoccupied."

"About what?"

Nancy swallowed. "I... You dated Cassandra, didn't you," she murmured.

Ned sighed. "A few times," he said. "But it was before I met you..."

"Exactly," she said, her tone calm. "And I'm sure she wishes she was with you now... but I'm with you, and whatever happened before you and I met, it's over and done."

Ned gave her a slow genuine smile. "It is," he agreed. "And she couldn't hold a candle to you, love."

When Nancy had just picked up her fourth glass of champagne, the alcohol hit her, and she had a pleasant buzz going during their next dance. Josh offered her another flute, and it made sense to keep drinking. She didn't want to lose the fuzzy delighted feeling she had.

She took a bathroom break after that dance. The logistics of doing so in her dress were tricky, and she stumbled a little, breaking into a giggling fit more than once. When she had herself back in order, she left the stall and walked to the sink to carefully wash her hands, but that was easier said than done, especially since the floor seemed to have somehow become uneven.

Nancy was just pulling a paper towel out of the dispenser when Cassandra sashayed into the restroom, and Nancy couldn't help but think that Cassandra's dress would be a lot easier to maneuver in—and, Nancy supposed, have quick sex in. Nancy's dress would practically require a crane for speedy removal. The brunette looked cool and haughty, and her glance at Nancy was dismissive.

Nancy nodded at her. "Cassandra," she said, and she couldn't help giggling slightly at the end of it. Everything was funny. Everything.

Cassandra made a soft hmph sound. "He gets tired of everyone," Cassandra told her, one perfectly groomed eyebrow raised. "So don't think you really have your hooks into him, or that he's going to marry you. He's not that kind of guy."

"Oh," Nancy replied, blinking at Cassandra. The room was starting to tilt, and that was hilarious too.

Cassandra sighed. "Can't even hold your liquor," she said disgustedly before shutting herself into a stall.

The champagne in the next flute was even more delicious, and during their next dance Nancy kept her body tight against Ned's. The male singer had been joined by a sultry-voiced woman in a sparkling sequined dress, and even looking in that direction made Nancy startle at the brilliant flash of the garment as the woman swayed in time with the music.

"Feeling okay, baby?" Ned murmured, then nipped at her neck.

Normally Nancy would have hissed at him to stop, but the alcohol just made her giggle and squirm in response. "I feel _great_ ," she told him solemnly. "Just totally amazing. I love you, Ned Nickerson. I love you sooooooo much."

Ned chuckled. "I love you too, beautiful," he murmured.

Josh asked if he could cut in during the next dance, and Nancy nodded dreamily. "You'd better give her back in exactly the same way you found her," Ned warned Josh as he let Josh take Nancy in his arms.

"You really do look great tonight," Josh told her.

"Mmm. Thanks," Nancy said with a grin. "Hey... did you know Cassandra?"

"Mmm-hmm," Josh said. "I see her around. She's looking great tonight too. You want me to arrange a little party?"

Nancy giggled and shook her head. "Nooooo. I've heard about _your_ parties."

"But you can't believe what you hear," Josh told her with one of his charming grins. "You're a detective, right? So you'd want to see it for yourself."

Nancy's stomach flipped as she thought of Ned and his offer, thanks to Josh's reference. "In this case, I'll take Ned's word for it," she told Josh. "But thanks."

Josh shook his head. "I'll just have to invite you both to the next one. We can even get Cass there, if you want."

Nancy shook her head. "Noooo," she told him. "No. Don't want her there."

"Oh?"

Nancy shook her head again, stubbornly. She desperately wanted to tell Josh why, and it took a moment of considering to remember why she should just shut up.

Nancy didn't mind dancing with Josh, but she did hate to see Ned dancing with Josh's date, and she couldn't help telling Ned that when they were in each other's arms again. He told her that he hadn't liked seeing Josh dancing so close to Nancy, either, and in retaliation Nancy snuggled up to Ned, swaying to the beat of the music.

"No more dancing with anyone else," she told him seriously. "You're too damn handsome."

Ned chuckled, and she felt his breath against her temple. "Same to you, gorgeous."

Once they decided to head back to the hotel, Ned had to hold Nancy steady after he helped her put on her wrap, and they went out to the car. Nancy could feel the cold, distantly, but she was also flushed and happy. She could feel her heart beating all the way through her, even trembling in her lips.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe what was about to happen.

In the back of the car, when Ned turned to her, she shivered against his caress as he stroked his hand down her side, his lips brushing her cheek. "I can't wait to get you back to our room," he growled into her ear. "To find out what you're wearing under that beautiful dress..."

"Mmm-mmm," she told him, shaking her head. "I have something pretty to wear for you tonight."

"Baby, nothing could possibly be more gorgeous than you naked."

Nancy giggled, her stomach tightening with anticipation again. "You're so damn handsome too," she said, and tapped his nose. "That big, hot, hard cock. Mmm."

Ned's eyes widened. "Baby, why don't you tell me _exactly_ what you want me to do with it," he murmured, his fingertips coming up to flirt with the neckline of her dress.

"I'd rather show you," she murmured, fluttering her eyelashes.

"God. If we don't get there soon..."

Nancy kissed his cheek. "Patience," she murmured. "You're going to need it... because it's going to take me an hour to get out of this dress."

"I will rip it off you with my teeth," he replied, his voice a low growl, "if I have to."

"Mmm." Nancy shivered. "Don't make promises you won't keep, Ned."

\--

Sunlight.

Nancy groaned, burying her face against the pillow—and just that simple small movement sent a wave of nausea over her. She cringed, closing her fingers into a fist.

She was naked. Well, mostly naked. She wore the same black lace panties she had worn under her dress, and that was practically it.

"Hey sweetheart," Ned said softly, and she heard footsteps approach. "How are you feeling?"

Slowly, by degrees, Nancy turned onto her side, then her back. Her stomach roiled unpleasantly. Oh God, she had thrown up the night before...

"Mmm," she moaned.

"Yeah," Ned said softly. "I thought that might be what you'd say. I have something that'll help. Can you sit up?"

"Mmm," Nancy moaned again, blinking up at him. "Oh God. Oh, Ned..."

"Are you all right?"

"No," Nancy groaned. "Oh _shit_."

"Here," Ned said, reaching for her, and he carried her to the bathroom. Nancy was in a cold sweat and trembling, and as soon as he placed her on the floor she flung the toilet seat up and hunched over the bowl, panting in an effort to stave off the nausea.

After she had emptied the paltry remaining contents of her stomach, she felt Ned place a cool wet washcloth over the back of her neck. "Here," he murmured. "Shhh. You okay?"

"Mmm." Nancy wiped her mouth and stayed kneeling on the floor for a moment. "Oh God. Ned, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, sweetheart. It's just a hangover. You'll be okay. Feeling a little better now?"

"Yeah," she murmured weakly. She let him help her up and washed her mouth out a few times, and her head was spinning.

"Here," he said, and let two tablets drop into a glass of water before handing it to her. The effervescent liquid hissed and bubbled, and Nancy swallowed hard before she drank it. "It'll help. I'm sorry, honey."

After she had downed it, Nancy refilled the glass and opened her small medicine bag to take out her birth control pill without letting Ned see what she was doing. She decided to skip her multivitamin, since sometimes it unsettled her stomach, and that nausea on top of her hangover would make her twice as miserable. Her reflection looked terrible; mascara was smeared under her lower lashes from her tears, and her makeup was totally ruined. Slowly she took her earrings out, and when she bent down to splash water on her face, she had to breathe shallowly for a moment to keep from throwing up again.

Oh, they had been all over each other; she remembered that. And she had gone to the bathroom to change out of her dress, and then she had felt sick...

"You," she whispered. "Oh God, Ned."

He gave her a small smile. "It's okay, Nan, seriously. You'll feel better in a little while. Want to lay down again?"

She nodded and shuffled back to bed, gingerly sliding back under the covers. "How soon do we need to leave?" she murmured.

"We have another few hours before checkout," he told her, then moved to his side of the bed. "I'm guessing you aren't in the mood for breakfast, yet."

"Mmm," Nancy groaned in agreement. "I... you took my clothes off."

"Yeah. I didn't think you'd want to sleep in your dress."

"No," she agreed, and sighed. She had her arm over her eyes to keep the sunlight out. " _Shit_. I hate that."

"Hate what?"

Nancy frowned. "I... I was looking forward to last night," she murmured. "I'm so sorry I screwed it up after you bought me that dress and gave me that beautiful bracelet..."

"Well, we had fun before that," he pointed out. "And we still have today. You can sleep on the plane, and I'm sure you'll feel almost like new this afternoon. Don't stress about it, okay?"

"Did I..." Nancy's voice was faint, timid. "Did I screw up my dress?"

Ned chuckled softly. "No, baby. It's okay."

Nancy was feeling somewhat more human by the time they checked out. She cast a longing glance back at all the flowers, telling Ned again that she wished she could take them with her, and he said it would be all right. He had made arrangements to send them to a nearby hospital to be distributed through patients' rooms, if she was okay with that, and she gave him a smile. She was glad they wouldn't be wasted, even if she couldn't have them, and they looked almost as fresh as they had the moment of their arrival.

She slept during the plane ride back to Chicago, and going through security and the car ride back to Ned's apartment were a blur. She felt a little more awake when they arrived, and Antonio smiled at them as they walked in.

"Your groceries, Mr. Nickerson," he said, lifting a paper bag and placing it on the desk.

"Thank you," Ned replied. "Would you mind bringing them up with our bags?"

Antonio nodded. "And your other arrangements were made as well," he said, as Ned guided Nancy to the elevator.

Nancy leaned against Ned's shoulder on the trip up. Her stomach flipped a little when the car first began to rise, but she told herself sternly that she wasn't going to be sick. Nancy had heard horror stories about women who were sick and messed up their birth control dose—and then, nine months later, had a baby to show for it. "Arrangements?" she murmured.

"You'll see," Ned said, and she could hear a smile in his voice.

She had been disappointed to leave the beautiful flowers he had given her behind, but when Ned keyed into his apartment, she saw another fresh bouquet of stargazer lilies, peonies, orchids and roses. A tall arrangement of red and white tulips was on the kitchen bar, and another bouquet of long-stemmed blood-red roses was on the coffee table. Nancy chuckled a little as she turned to Ned. "I don't even have to say it, do I," she murmured, and squeezed his hand. "They're so beautiful, and I think you've given me more flowers this weekend than I had received my entire life to date."

Ned kissed her cheek. "I thought you might like them here too, since you were so sad about leaving the others behind," he told her. "And I have something else for you, but that can wait until your stomach has settled."

Antonio came in just then with their bags and the paper bag of groceries. Ned gave him a warm thanks as Nancy smiled and picked up her own bag, taking it to their bedroom. She had taken all the time she could to sleep off her hangover, and she felt gross, and desperately in need of a shower.

"Nan, you want anything?" Ned asked, coming into the bedroom as she heard Antonio leave the apartment. "I have ginger ale, Gatorade, some crackers..."

"That sounds great," she said with a smile as she toed out of her shoes. "Let me just take a quick shower and I'll have some ginger ale. Did you actually have that delivered?"

Ned smiled. "Maybe," he said.

She slipped out of her sweater, then came over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You are the best boyfriend ever," she told him. "I mean that."

"Thanks," Ned chuckled, squeezing her hand. "I can join you if you want..."

Ned was just reaching for the hem of his shirt when they heard his phone go off. Ned cast a despairing look at it, and Nancy chuckled. "It's okay," she told him. "I'll be right out, go ahead and take care of that."

After her shower, Nancy found one of Ned's Harvard t-shirts and put it on, and Ned chuckled when he saw her wearing it. She had towel-dried her hair and it fell in loose damp locks, washed clean of all the product Sienna had used on her. Her entire body wasn't aching anymore, and she was glad.

"Mmm," she said, sitting down on the couch, and hummed happily when Ned wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. "What's that?"

"That, sweetheart," Ned said, reaching for the flat burgundy box tied with a red ribbon that had drawn her attention, "is a box of hand-dipped chocolate truffles, but I wasn't sure if you would be up to eating them yet. You look like you're feeling much better."

She nodded, and Ned rose to pour her glass of ginger ale as she took the top off the box of truffles. They were beautiful, and she found a hand-lettered card inside listing the flavor of each: Bananas Foster, Key Lime, tiramisu, white chocolate raspberry. The variety was breathtaking, and they all looked amazing.

"Feeling hungry yet? I can have something delivered, or we could investigate the freezer. I think Louis keeps a few things frozen..."

"Mmm," Nancy murmured, lifting the drink Ned handed her to her lips. "You know, I'm actually in the mood for some egg drop soup," she admitted.

They decided on a double order of the soup for Nancy, along with some steamed broccoli and chicken and white rice if she felt up to it later. Ned ordered the standard egg rolls, pepper beef, fried rice, and fortune cookies.

As they waited for their order to arrive, Nancy reached for Ned's hand and laced her fingers between his. "Thanks," she murmured. "You really are amazing, and this whole weekend would have been incredible... I just wish I'd taken your advice and switched to water last night."

"Hey, it's all right," he pointed out. "We still have some time, and truffles... and it gets easier to tell when you're going over your limit, believe me."

"Must be why you seem so damn normal today, while I can't really think about food..." Nancy sighed. She reached for her ginger ale again, and her eyelashes fluttered when Ned's thumb stroked down her hand. "Guess it really was too cheesy, after all," she murmured.

"Hmm?"

Nancy took a deep breath and turned to face him. "I've been thinking really hard about this," she said. "And I think I'm ready."

Ned's thumb stopped stroking her hand as his dark eyes searched hers. "Nan..."

She looked down. "And I was so disappointed that I got sick last night because I... well, I was thinking that last night..." She shook her head.

Ned cupped her cheek. "Oh," he said softly. "Oh, if you'd told me..."

She gave him a small smile. "But it's your choice too," she murmured. "And I was so nervous, and... and maybe if we both know, and we can plan for it... that wouldn't be any less romantic, would it?"

He shook his head. "It wouldn't be," he agreed softly. "So... so you want to plan?"

She nodded. "But, if we plan and I get freaked out..."

"Then we'll stop," he murmured. "It's okay, baby. I told you. We will never go any faster than you want. And if we say it will be one day, and you aren't ready yet, that's all right."

Nancy studied his gaze for a moment, then moved to sit on his lap and cup his face.

He smiled. "Is that why you've been staring at me more than usual?"

She colored faintly and nodded. "I keep telling myself it's not a big deal," she said softly. "But I can't quite believe it. Once we take that step... there's no going back."

"Well, there's not a lot of going back from what we've already done," he pointed out, and stroked a loose strand of hair from her cheek. "I know I've been the first for you in a lot of ways, and actually having sex..." He gave her a small smile.

"Um... when you talked about it, and you said we would take our time... will it break your heart if we wait until spring break?"

He shook his head. "Do you want to go somewhere? The house in France? Sweetheart, if you say the word I'll fill it with flowers and take you there, and we'll be alone..."

She shook her head. "I do want to see it," she told him, "but we can go this summer. The flight is just so long, and we don't have forever..." She bit her lip. "What if we go to New York? The first bed you and I ever slept together in..."

"With Louis there to cook for us?"

Nancy shook her head. "I just want it to be you and me," she murmured. "If that's okay. I don't want to be... interrupted."

Ned leaned forward and kissed her gently. "Well, your break starts on a Friday, right?"

She nodded. "I'm free after classes are over on Thursday."

"So we can leave for New York that night... so maybe I can give Louis some time off until maybe Wednesday?"

Nancy nodded. "And we can cook together..."

Ned chuckled. "Uh, sweetheart, why do you think I have a personal chef? I can kind of manage the basics, but..."

Nancy cupped his cheek and smiled at him. "And do you think I really need more than that?" she asked him softly. "Ned, you already _have_ impressed me. Everything you do for me... the flowers, the chocolates? The amazing dresses, the bracelet, the jewelry? It's all beyond my wildest dreams. You are so incredible. But what's always impressed me _more_ than that is the man underneath it. The guy who takes so much time and effort and his own hard-earned money to pick out these amazing flowers for me, to find something more than a common box of chocolates for me. _You_ mean more to me than anything you could ever _give_ me.

"Sometimes I feel like you're trying to make up for something, like you somehow think you're lacking, that without all the presents and the lavish meals and the trips that I'd lose interest in you, but it's the opposite, Ned. I love being with you and I treasure everything you give me, but I won't love you less if we're eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with potato chips for every meal, okay?"

He chuckled. "I guess it's just that... oh, sweetheart. I want to give you everything I can... and in the circles I move in, that means spending at least ten grand at Tiffany's for a little present to let you know I'm thinking about you... and the women like Josh's girlfriend, who see it as their right."

"And I'm not like that," she said softly. "I never want to be like that. I never want to open a present you give me and just roll my eyes... but I want you to understand that what's important to me is the sentiment behind it, not the item itself. I will always look at that ruby and diamond bracelet you gave me last night and think about how beautiful I felt the first night I wore it, how beautiful it made me feel when you looked at me the way you did.

"So... let me cook for you, okay? I know I'm not an amazing chef either, and I'm nowhere near as good as Hannah or Louis, but... let's just take the time for us, all right? We can make sandwiches and maybe even spaghetti and garlic bread, on a night we're feeling adventurous."

Ned gave her a crooked smile, then leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers again, sweetly. "I want to wrap you up in my arms and never, never let you go," he whispered. "I can't believe how afraid I was of feeling this way, when having this with you... now I can't imagine living without you. That sounds perfect, Nan."

She smiled at him. "Good," she whispered. "I... I hope it's okay for you. I mean, sleeping together..."

"It's always okay for me," he told her. "The important thing is it being okay for you. Better than okay, if I do it right."

She kissed his cheek, closing her eyes. "Are you disappointed that I waited so long?"

"No, no," he reassured her. "Not at all. I would feel awful if we had done this before you were ready."

"So you haven't..." She swallowed. "I just... Cassandra..."

"What did we say last night?" he murmured, leaning back to look into her eyes. "If I wanted Cassandra or a woman like her, I would be with a woman like her. And I'd be miserable and bored, too. I'd rather spend a year fooling around in bed with you, than having meaningless sex with a woman like Cassandra."

"And it will mean something, with us," she murmured, her gaze shifting from his lips to his dark eyes.

He nodded. "Everything we do together means something," he said, smiling again. "Because I'm with the woman I love, the only woman I have ever truly loved. How could anything between us mean anything less?"


	6. Chapter 6

Nancy took a deep breath, her sneaker tapping impatiently on the floor of the airplane. All around her commuters were rising from their seats, opening the overhead compartments and finding briefcases and rolling suitcases. Many of them, judging by the accents she had heard around her, were returning home after a weekend in Chicago.

The entire day, Nancy had felt like she was going to come out of her skin. Her flight had been grounded for two hours at O'Hare thanks to storms, and she had blown through two magazines and the first chapter of a paperback novel before she had given up and stared fixedly at the listing of departures, hoping for good news. She had texted Ned as soon as she was on board the airplane, and just before she had shut her phone off, he had replied, telling her that he would be waiting for her on the ground.

He was mad at her. She knew he was. He had to be mad at her.

They had planned to leave for New York on Thursday night, but her father had told her about a rather interesting set of accidents and problems that had cropped up while the committee was preparing for the River Heights Country Club fundraiser. Nancy had agreed to help find the culprit; she had hoped it would only take a day, but she hadn't been able to track down the person responsible until halfway through the actual golf tournament. By then she hadn't been able to get a flight until Sunday morning...

And then the damn storm had grounded her plane.

They had lost almost three days of her spring break, and the entire time she had been nervous. This was going to be a very important break for them, and she had been off investigating a mystery instead. Bess had practically leapt through the phone and throttled her all by herself for their break when Nancy had told her; Bess and George had headed to a lakefront cabin with their families while Nancy was away, and Bess was busy soaking up rays in the unseasonably warm weather.

"Nancy Drew, leave it to the police and get your ass on the next plane," Bess had whispered, so Nancy had surmised that her parents were nearby. "Holy _shit_. Do _not_ leave that drop-dead gorgeous man waiting for you."

But she had. And while anticipating her flight usually left her just a little nervous, she was far, far more anxious now than she had been for any of the flight.

She wondered if he would send a car for her, or if she would need to take a cab to his apartment. She had booked the flight herself and ended up in coach with many of the other travelers. Two alternately cheerful and whiny toddlers had been in the seats behind her, and their moaned pleading for more juice made Nancy's teeth grind.

At least she had been able to fit all her clothes into both her carry-on bags, Nancy thought to herself as she strapped on her backpack and pulled her rolling suitcase out onto the ramp. LaGuardia was insanely busy, and she bypassed several groups of slower-moving travelers before she found the exit.

A prickle went down her spine, and she brought her head up, quickly scanning the crowd waiting for luggage and arriving passengers, a scent of wet sneaker soles and soaked pavement in the air. A pair of dark eyes met hers. Ned was coming toward her.

She felt herself cringing and hated it, but Ned came to her, smoothly taking her rolling suitcase out of her hand and clasping her fingers in his instead. "Hey sweetheart," he said, and smiled at her.

"I'm so sorry," she said before she could stop herself, all her anxiety bubbling up in her and pouring from her lips. "I am so sorry, Ned. I know you have to be upset..."

"We have a week," he said, and gave her another smile. "I hate that we were apart, but it gave me time to make sure everything was settled for this week. I'm all yours, Drew. Just don't waste it." He gently bumped his shoulder against hers.

Nancy let out a long sigh, almost trembling with relief. She hadn't realized just how anxious she was until Ned had told her he was all right. She could remember so many boyfriends who had been mad at her for investigating mysteries instead of spending time with them, and this was a thousand times worse. Ned had even offered to take her to _Paris_ , for God's sake, and if she had put _that_ off...

She shivered as they exited the terminal and went out onto the sidewalk, and a sleek black towncar pulled up to the curb, water beading on the polished surface, the trunk rising so they could put Nancy's belongings inside. She let Ned put her bag in the trunk as she shouldered her bookbag into it, then slid into the backseat with him.

"You okay? Cold?"

Nancy shook her head, bringing her head up to meet his eyes, tears pricking in her own. She had felt more emotional since she had started taking birth control pills, and after all the delays and anxiety and problems today, she had been waiting for this to be the final straw. "I love you so much," she whispered.

He slipped his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, relax," he murmured. "It's okay. You're here and we don't have to drive in the city traffic. You're safe." He finished the weak joke with a small smile, squeezing her gently.

She laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for not being mad at me," she murmured, and sniffled. "Oh, Ned..."

He kissed her temple. "Do you want to go to the apartment before we go to the grocery store? So you can relax a little?" He kissed her again, letting his lips linger against her skin.

She sniffled again. "No, I'm okay," she told him. "I'll be okay. We can go now."

The driver took them to a relatively large—for the city, anyway—grocery store, and they went by the deli to stock up on freshly-sliced turkey, chicken, and prosciutto, beautiful tomatoes, coarse-grain mustard, aged swiss and provolone, five-grain bread and sourdough, romaine lettuce and two kinds of mayonnaise, dill pickle chips, kettle chips, carrot sticks. Then Nancy went by the fresh meats department for a pound of large shrimp, bought minced garlic and butter and fresh fettucine for shrimp scampi. Ned said he would try his hand at steaks, and they bought two large, beautiful steaks. Nancy picked up portobello mushroom caps and wild rice to make along with it, and broccoli to steam. By the time they went to the checkout, Nancy surveyed their well-filled cart with wide eyes.

"Damn. I think we could feed an army," Ned chuckled as they began to load their purchases onto the conveyor belt.

Nancy smiled, too. She was feeling a little better, and shopping with Ned had been fun. The only time he had objected had been when she had been eyeing a pre-made olive tapenade, and she remembered that he absolutely hated olives of all kinds.

When the cashier told them the total, Nancy swallowed; she hadn't expected them to spend so much. She had forgotten that they were buying groceries in the city, where everything was more expensive. And she realized that she hadn't bought any desserts... but, she supposed, they could always go out for dessert, or pick up something later. They had already spent so much.

Or, really, she had. And Ned was paying for it without a qualm.

The driver helped them load all the bags of groceries into the trunk, and then they were on their way again. When Ned's fingers laced between hers, Nancy afforded the driver only a single glance before she looked over at her boyfriend.

She had resolved to tell him something before things progressed too far, but the way she was feeling, she just wanted him to hold her for a long time, just to make up for all the time they had spent apart, when she had been afraid he was mad at her.

"I have a confession to make," Ned told her when they were bringing in the last load of groceries and getting ready to put them away.

"Oh?"

"Um... I may have had Louis prepare something for us for tonight," he said, giving her a crooked smile. "I knew there was a possibility your flight could be delayed, and I thought you might be exhausted and not in the mood..."

"Oh..." Now that the thrumming anxiety and anticipation of their reunion had passed, Nancy did feel pretty tired. "That sounds great, Ned. We'll just have to cook tomorrow."

He looped his arm around her and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "It's nothing too elaborate. Lobster ravioli with lemon cream sauce and fresh bread."

"Nothing too elaborate," Nancy repeated, shaking her head as she chuckled. "Uh-huh. That totally sounds the opposite of elaborate."

Once they had put everything away, Nancy walked into the main area. She and Ned hadn't spent too much time in the New York apartment, but she still remembered it from the time they had spent there the summer before, the night of their first date; the night she had first spent wrapped in his arms, less than a week after their first meeting. She had been so afraid, but so intoxicated by his touch. And tonight...

An enormous, elaborate arrangement of roses stood in the middle of the coffee table, white to blush to pink to perfect deep pink to red, some so deep a purple they were almost indigo, almost black. Nancy shook her head when she saw them, giving Ned a soft smile.

"I thought, if you wanted," he told her, "we could scatter some rose petals..."

"I'd hate to ruin them that way," she told him, touching one perfect tight rose. "They're so beautiful, Ned."

"I'm glad you like them, sweetheart."

When his fingertips brushed the small of her back, Nancy felt her heart start speeding again. She knew that Ned had planned on taking his time when it came to their making love for the first time, but she still felt nervous. Her bags were in his bedroom, their bedroom, and she wanted to take a shower. She felt sweaty, and she wanted to look pretty for him. She wanted to look as beautiful as she possibly could for him and their first night together.

"Are you okay, Nan? You're quiet."

"It's... I've had a long day," she said, and gave Ned a small smile. "Mind if I take a shower while you heat up the ravioli?"

"So you don't want me to join you?" He gave her a crooked smile and kissed her temple again. "Sounds good."

He went back to the kitchen as Nancy went into the bedroom, sorting through her various wardrobe choices. She found her white lace-backed panties and a matching balconet bra and stepped into the bathroom, closing her eyes for a moment, her back against the door. She was with him. She was safe.

_Ned._

But what if he didn't agree with what she said...

Nancy opened her eyes again, looking around. What she saw brought a wave of tears to her eyes.

He had her shampoo and conditioner in the shower along with his, and the coconut sugar shower gel she had started using once the weather had become warmer, and a blue bath puff. She saw a hair dryer next to the sink too, and even a pack of the disposable razors she used when she was staying at his place.

He had gone to so much trouble for her, to make her feel comfortable. The bottles were full; he had bought them for her. He had made a note of what she had at his Chicago apartment and had bought it for her to use here, too. She could count on one hand the number of people she knew who were so considerate.

She brushed out her hair and sighed as she stepped under the warm spray, rinsing over and over, washing away the sweat and grit of travel. She didn't want to keep him waiting, so she made her shower quick, then blew out her hair.

Instead of changing into the gown she had brought for tonight, Nancy put on a UC tank top and a pair of jeans, and stepped out of his room barefooted, her red-gold hair shining. She had put on the birdcage necklace for dinner, and Ned saw it when she walked into the kitchen to see how he was doing.

She chuckled when she saw the handwritten note Louis had left for Ned, giving him specific instructions on how to prepare the ravioli. "How's it going?" she murmured, slipping her arm around his waist and hugging him briefly.

"Pretty good," he told her with a smile. The sauce was simmering, and Nancy wasn't sure if he had exaggerated his lack of prowess in the kitchen or if he was so anxious to impress her that he was taking more care than he normally would. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Sorry. Ned, you're pretty amazing."

"Only 'pretty' amazing?" he teased her, circling her waist with his arm and squeezing her gently in return. "You're incredibly amazing, baby."

Nancy shook her head, sweeping her shining hair out of her eyes. "I can't believe you went to all the trouble to get my shampoo and stuff here..."

He shrugged. "I wanted my girl to have everything she wanted," he said, and gave her a smile. "And if there's a single thing you want, anything at all, tell me, Nan. I'd be glad to get it for you."

Nancy shook her head, reaching up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss against the corner of his jaw. "I have everything I want right here," she murmured. "Want me to set the table?"

"I have it mostly set, but Louis made us some salads, if you want to get those out..."

The table was practically set, with wine glasses and napkins arranged inside them, a centerpiece of white and red tulips in a square glass vase, and what looked to Nancy's unschooled eye to be a very expensive bottle of wine. The bread was in a basket with a napkin covering it.

She took out the salads, made with butter lettuce, and saw Louis's note on what to add to them before serving. He had coordinated the flavors for the entire meal, and while Nancy didn't regret her request to give Louis most of their week together off, she had to admit that she was looking forward to sampling his cooking again.

When Ned was finished preparing the ravioli, she brought the plates into the kitchen so Ned could serve each, and they walked back to the table inhaling fragrant citrusy lemon cream sauce. "He made us a strawberry cream pound cake with ice cream for dessert," Ned told her as they sat down.

Nancy sighed and shook her head. "You really are trying hard to impress me, aren't you," she told him with a small grin.

" _Trying_ ," he repeated. "Hmm. Trying isn't succeeding."

Nancy wrinkled her nose at him. "Just your mere existence is enough to impress me," she told him, propping her chin on her hand. "I mean it, Ned. Everything you are... you never stop surprising me. Just when I think you couldn't possibly do anything more considerate or sweet or sexy, you prove me wrong."

Ned winked at her. "Well, you redeemed yourself there at the end, Miss Drew," he teased her. "I suppose I'll comfort myself with the thought that I'm occasionally sexy."

" _Always_ ," she corrected him. "You are _always_ sexy, Mr. Nickerson."

"Just like you are always irresistibly fascinating and artlessly beautiful," he told her. "When I wake up holding you in my arms and you give me that first smile..."

"With my hair a mess and no makeup on?"

"Especially with your hair a mess and no makeup on," he told her. "When it's just you and me. I love you every single second we're together... but especially when there are no walls between us, baby."

At that, Nancy just gazed at him, a soft smile on her face. She knew what he meant, but even more than that, she took what he said as a sign.

And then she wondered if he was talking about finally having sex with her, and she caught herself flushing just a little.

At the first bite of the ravioli, Nancy closed her eyes and moaned, and Ned chuckled. "Regretting letting him have the time off?" Ned commented.

Nancy shook her head. "I'm glad we're alone," she told him. "And I will definitely be happy when he's back and cooking for you again... but oh God, this is delicious."

Ned nodded, swirling his forked bite of ravioli through the sauce. "Which will make my cooking tomorrow all the worse in comparison," he commented. "So tell me about your weekend."

Nancy couldn't help listening hard for any sign of condemnation or anger in his voice, but she only heard curiosity. She swallowed her bite of ravioli before answering, willing her heart to slow down at least a little. "Well, Dad told me about some problems that had come up during preparation for the fundraiser he was helping plan—misplaced or changed orders, vandalized supplies..."

Over the rest of their dinner she told him about the case, making sure to tell him that she had believed it would only take a day or less for her to figure out. When she had asked her father about visiting Ned in New York over her break, he had asked if they could at least spend some time together on Friday, and the fundraiser had been where they were spending time together. And then everything had just spiraled out of control, and her anxiety had only grown.

Ned just listened patiently to her account of the case, and when she told him about how the culprit had lunged at her when she had confronted him, Ned's brow furrowed in concern. She had spoken to him every night, and filled him in on the broad strokes, but she had been reluctant to talk about the case in any great detail, afraid that showing how focused she was on it would irritate him or piss him off.

Nancy tore a piece of bread off the crusty roll and swept the tender interior against the trace of lemon cream sauce still on her plate, then popped it into her mouth. She felt gloriously satisfied from the meal, and though she had been a little cautious about drinking too much wine, she had found what felt like the perfect balance. She felt warm and happy, but not silly or reckless.

She would be legally able to drink in about a month, and most of her fellow students treated drinking like something so incredibly cool, something forbidden and secret and universal, but Ned was old enough to treat it as just another part of the meal or socializing. She had seen many of her fellow students drunk or on their way there; Ned indulged fairly regularly, but didn't overindulge. He was casual about it, and she loved that. And he had been so incredibly sweet when he was taking care of her during her terrible hangover the day after the Valentine's ball, too.

"I'm sorry, Ned," she said again, her blue eyes pleading. "I wish I could have made it out here Thursday like we talked about..."

Ned shook his head. "If your dad wanted to see you, I don't begrudge that," he told her. "I know how important he is to you, and I don't want to upset him... and we have the summer. Or, at least I hope we have the summer."

Nancy gave Ned a small smile. "I'm going to talk to him about that," she told her boyfriend. "Soon, I promise. Maybe he'll even say it's okay for us to be gone a month or two at a time..."

Ned reached for her hand and stroked his thumb across her knuckles. "And you solved the case," he pointed out with a smile. "If you hadn't kept promising that you would be on the way _any second_ , I would have come back to Illinois and been your sidekick."

She smiled at him. "Is it bad, that that sounds like the perfect summer?" she murmured. "With you by my side, solving cases during the day and falling asleep with you at night..."

Ned's eyebrows went up. "All you have to do is say the word," he told her. "And if we can't find any mysteries and just have to hire actors and fill all our spare time with crazy sex..."

Nancy chuckled. "Bess and George will tell you," she said, apology in her voice. "It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing; mysteries seem to find me. At destination weddings, bike races, fashion shows. Bess swears that if I go to the space station, I'll end up investigating sabotage or murder or ghostly apparitions or something."

Ned smiled. "Then at least your life is never boring," he said.

"It isn't," she agreed. "Although... it was lonely. Until I met this amazing guy who had more confidence in me than I had ever had in myself."

Ned's smile faded a little, and he gazed into her eyes, his expression serious. "I am completely behind you, Nan, whatever you decide to do," he told her. He started to say something else, but then he cut himself off.

Nancy flipped her hand over to grasp his. "What?" she said softly.

"My parents always told me that I could do anything I set my mind to doing," he said quietly. "But I think they were surprised at how well my career has gone. I'm so thankful every day for what I have, and what I'm able to do. Whatever I can do to help you achieve _your_ dream, Nan, whatever that is..."

Nancy could feel the tension in the air between them; her heart was speeding from it, her lips parted. "What's your dream, Ned?"

He gave her the slow, incredibly handsome smile that always made her heart melt. "You," he said softly. "From the second I knew that you could be... that _this_ was possible."

Nancy rose from her chair and came to him quickly, wrapping her arms around him and embracing him tight, burying her face against the side of his neck. "How could I not love you," she whispered. "You're everything to me too, Ned. You're everything I never let myself want. I never thought I could ever love anyone the way I love you."

Ned pulled her onto his lap and embraced her too, and for a long moment she let herself forget the nervousness she felt when she thought about sharing his bed later, about what she wanted to say to him, about all of it. She loved him; she would love him past her last breath, for as long as she existed. She couldn't believe that for the first twenty years of her life, she had somehow been without him. He had changed her life. She felt like he had changed everything for her.

Ned kissed her temple, then her cheek, and when their lips met she gave herself over to it utterly. They hadn't shared a real kiss since he had picked her up at the airport, and it was slow and sweet and intense. She felt powerless in his arms, and she relaxed against him, letting go of the guilt that she had felt every day they were unexpectedly apart.

Ned kissed her again, then again, his fingertips flirting with the hem of her tank top, over the small of her back. "Dessert, or should we get reacquainted first?" he murmured before their lips met again.

Nancy kissed him one last time before she rested her head on his shoulder. "Dessert," she decided. "We have time, right?"

Ned nodded, gently running his fingers through her hair. "We have all the time you want, baby," he said softly. "Whenever you're ready and comfortable..."

She shivered at what he wasn't quite saying, and kissed his cheek one last time before she reluctantly left his arms. "So should we warm up the pound cake?"

Ned smiled. "Let me check my list of 'suggestions,'" he joked, wiping his mouth before he rose and picked up his dinner plate.

They cleared the table together, and the pound cake was incredibly moist and delicious, the ice cream perfectly flavored and lusciously velvety. They took their bowls, which they rebelliously did not decorate with clusters of mint leaves, to the couch, and when she wasn't looking at her dessert or at Ned, Nancy watched the rain track down the massive plate-glass windows of his penthouse apartment.

After dinner, Ned excused himself to change, and Nancy went to the bedroom too, finding the gown she had chosen for tonight as he closed the bathroom door behind him. She took the gown to the guest bathroom and changed into it, forcing herself not to scrutinize her reflection for imperfections. She had eaten as much of dinner as she could, despite her nerves; Ned had finished off the last few bites of her dessert, and Nancy gave her face one last splash, ran her fingers through her hair, then nodded at her reflection. She knew she was blushing, though; she could feel the warmth in her cheeks, could see the flush in the mirror.

Ned had seen her naked so many times, and she didn't want to be nervous about what was about to happen, but she was anyway. He had promised he would be gentle with her, but she was certain that it was going to hurt, no matter what.

Even so, she didn't want to put it off or tell him that they needed to wait. Even if it did hurt some, she was sure that after enough practice, either the pain would become bearable, or she wouldn't feel it anymore. And that was worth it.

Nancy had brought both the pink gown and the black lace gown she had bought in preparation for their Valentine's Day trip, since Ned had seen neither, but a few weeks before spring break she had gone to a lingerie store with cash and walked out with an ivory lace and satin halter gown. It looked both sexy and sweet, and it felt right to wear something white on the night she would be losing her innocence to him.

She sank onto the couch, toying with the birdcage necklace hanging around her neck, trying to calm herself down. She only had to wait a minute or so before Ned opened the bedroom door and came out again, and she slowly raised her head, her blue eyes wide. He wore a pair of black shorts and a grey shirt, and when he saw her, his adam's apple clearly bobbed up and down a little.

Despite her nervousness, she was charmed by that. Ned was so incredibly self-assured, and to see him even a little off-balance was rare. It made her feel powerful to know that just the mere sight of her had been enough to do it.

"Can we talk?" she asked softly.

Ned nodded. "Let me just..."

She was a little disappointed when he went into his bedroom again for a moment, and when he returned with a small box, Nancy shook her head. "Oh, Ned..."

He sat down beside her, placing the box on the coffee table. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked, ignoring her weak objection to whatever gift he was about to give her.

Nancy looked down at her interlaced fingers. "I've been thinking," she said. "And I haven't talked to anyone about this..." She took a deep breath. "I think that after I graduate next spring, I want to take some time off and... and I want you to help me figure out how to start an agency. I did a little research, and I couldn't be licensed as a private investigator for a few years..."

Ned had a large smile on his face. "I'd love to help you, Nan."

"But I need you to understand that I don't... I don't want you to just pour money into this thing, okay? I want... I want to make it a _business_ , something that won't just drain your resources. Like you were saying. A sliding scale payment plan for clients, that kind of thing. But I don't have the expertise to make it work, and I think you do."

"So you want to do that a year from now?" Ned asked, and Nancy nodded. "Before grad school?"

Nancy nodded again, looking down at her hands. "Or... or in lieu of," she admitted. "When I imagine applying to law school and going through the ranks at a firm and... all of it, oh, Ned... it feels like my chest is closing up, and I feel awful." She frowned, trying to swallow the lump of tears in her throat. "I feel like I'm letting my dad down."

Ned looped his arm around her shoulders, and she let out a shivering sigh as she turned toward him, breathing in the familiar masculine scent of him as he stroked her mostly-bare back. "Shhh," he murmured. "You're not. Not if that's what will make you happy."

"But what if it doesn't?" she whispered. "What if I fail..."

Ned shook his head and kissed her temple, then smoothed her hair away from her face. "You know you won't," he told her firmly. "You will not fail, Nancy Drew. Not if this is what you love and what you were meant to do, you won't."

"Mmm." Nancy embraced him, straddling his lap, but sat back so she wasn't pressed against him. She wasn't quite ready for that yet. He held her, and every stroke of his fingertips over her spine made another tingle spread all the way down to her fingertips, arousal blooming in her belly.

Then Ned chuckled. "I can teach you how to make a business plan," he told her. "How to look at income and expenses and make sure you make money. I know so many people who handle business management and who owe me favors. It'll be fun, Nan. And you won't fail."

He paused. "But you haven't talked to your dad about it yet."

"No," she said softly. "I haven't."

"You could make him a proposal," Ned suggested. "Set up a PowerPoint and look at all the positives and negatives, anticipate all his possible objections and answer them..."

Nancy chuckled and moved back to look up into Ned's eyes. "You sound almost giddy," she said with a smile.

"I've long believed that the perfect job is doing what you love and getting paid for it," he told her, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "And you, my beautiful, whip-smart, insanely talented girlfriend, love solving mysteries."

She gave him a slow grin. "I do," she whispered, like admitting some guilty secret. "I always have."

"And if I can help you do that..." She could feel the shift in him before it happened, and his gaze lingered on her lips for a moment. "Do you want me to take you to bed now, Miss Drew?"

His tone was low and intense, and at that Nancy did really shudder. She brushed the ball of her thumb against his full lips and he kissed it gently, and she took a deep breath.

"You told me that if I didn't want to be exclusive, that we should discuss that," she said, and brought her gaze up to his eyes. They were dark and intent on her. "I... I want to be exclusive, Ned."

He smiled at her. "I know..."

She shook her head. Her heart was beating so hard, and she was so nervous that she had to force the words out. "I don't want to be with anyone else for the rest of my life," she said, and searched his eyes. "I mean... I want to learn how to make love with you, only you."

Ned studied her for a moment, still holding her. Her lips were trembling from her anxiety.

She hadn't been able to voice the whole truth, but what she had just said was a major part of it. She didn't want anyone else; she never wanted to be with anyone else again. Just the thought of it made her upset. She wanted him and only him.

The fact that he was already sexually experienced didn't matter to her. She didn't care who he had slept with before; soon they would be celebrating their first dating anniversary, and their relationship would be the longest one he had ever had. She didn't want it to end anytime soon.

She never wanted it to end. Never. Maybe he had been with other girls, but the thought of him sharing this kind of intimate relationship with someone _after_ her—that was the only prospect that truly disturbed her. She never wanted to learn anyone else. She never wanted to be parted from him.

He had told her that he wanted to be the only man to share her bed, and she fully intended to grant him that wish.

Ned leaned forward and gave her one soft kiss, then reached for the box he had left on the coffee table. He handed it to her without a word, and she glanced from the box to his face, her brow furrowing.

She didn't quite know what she was expecting, only that she had been a little bemused at the thought that he was giving her something to commemorate the loss of her virginity to him. Bess's overactive imagination turned Nancy and Ned's weekends together into ebullient shopping sprees at Cartier and Tiffany, but Nancy loved the more individual pieces he had given her the most, like the birdcage necklace. She found herself wondering briefly, traitorously, what her virginity was worth.

Inside the box, she found a flat round silver medallion. The surface almost had the matte finish of an old, well-worn coin. On its face were two upper-case initials in elaborate script, two Ns linked by a small diamond set in the center. The top of the medallion was pierced, but no cord or chain had been fed through it. Then she noticed that the bottom, left, and right had been pierced as well.

She picked it up. The medallion was a bit heavier than she had expected, and on the back, engraved in similarly flowery script, were the words _my love for always._

"I didn't know if you would want to wear it or not, on a necklace or a bracelet," he explained softly. "It's a Victorian-style love token I had made for you; I gave the artist the silver dollar myself, and he did the engraving. It's one of a kind." He smiled. "Just like you are. I didn't want to give you something ordinary..."

Nancy's lips parted, as she glanced from him back to the medallion. "And the initials..."

"Our names," he murmured, although he sidestepped the question that she couldn't quite bring herself to ask. Both their first names, or her first name and his last...?

"Men gave these to women they were serious about," he told her. "And I am serious about you, Nancy. I want that too. I love you so much, and you mean so much to me..."

"It's beautiful," she told him, giving him a small smile. "I love it, Ned... and I love you so much..."

The kiss he gave her was hard and passionate, and Nancy ran her fingers through her boyfriend's hair, a tingling warmth spreading in her chest. Whenever she thought about making love with him, she was afraid, overwhelmed, and eager. Every night they had spent together, every time he had touched her and kissed her and caressed her, it had felt so, so good, and she wanted making love to be the same way, but she was afraid. Soon he would lift her into his arms and carry her to his bed. Soon he would be inside her.

She wanted it, and he had been so incredibly patient with her. When he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers, Nancy closed her eyes, panting softly. She would be good for him, as good as she could be.

"I take it back," she said suddenly.

Ned let out a startled chuckle. "What?" he asked, cupping her cheek.

"If I'm really bad at this..."

Ned shook his head and kissed the corner of her mouth. "Baby, you have been so amazing every time we've been together," he told her. "I love all of you, the way you moan when we're making love, how curious you are, how you taste... and I love that you're mine, sweetheart. All I want is to make you feel good, okay? And if we try this... we'll take it slow, and gentle, and if you want to stop, all you have to do is say the word, okay? But no matter what, what's between us is more important than rolling around together naked in bed for a while, okay?"

She nodded. "I do like rolling around naked in bed with you, though," she pointed out, her eyes bright.

"Just relax, okay?" He kissed her gently. "Sharing this with you, it does mean a lot to me... but it's not everything. There's nothing you could ever do that would make me stop loving you. Okay?"

She nodded. "I'll try," she whispered. "But I want it to be good for you."

"I'm with you," he told her. "It will be good for me. All I care about is that it's good for _you_."

She tried to smile, but when he gathered her to him, she buried her face against the side of his neck. "So slow," she whispered, and her voice was shaking a little. "Can we just make it so slow..."

"Mmm-hmm." His lips grazed her cheekbone. "Do you want me to take you to bed now, love?"

She pulled in a deep breath. "Yes," she murmured.

She was waiting for him to pick her up, but instead he kissed her cheek again. "Tell me how you imagine it," he said softly. "Do you want candlelight, Nan? Champagne?"

She considered for a moment. She was afraid she would lose her nerve and become too anxious to keep going, and she didn't want to take the time to light candles. "We'll save that for later, okay?" she whispered, and cupped his cheek. "I just want you so much..."

He picked her up, and Nancy wrapped herself around him, her heart in her throat. She clung to him, and after he brought her to his bedroom he closed the door behind him, then gently placed her on the bed. She tipped her head back and gazed up at him, every bit of her so sensitized that the barest brush of his skin against hers made her shiver. It felt like the first time she had come willingly to his bed, when she had had no idea what to expect.

Ned cupped her cheek, then leaned down to kiss her again, and she brought her arms up to wrap them around his shoulders. She stroked her fingers through his hair, concentrating on the warmth of his skin against hers, the firm muscle in his strong arms as he lifted her, bringing her up so her head rested on the pillows. Her knees were parted and his hips were snug against hers.

"I love you," he breathed when their kiss finally broke. "I love you so much, Nan."

Her whimper was barely audible when his fingertips flirted with the hem of her gown, and Ned planted another soft kiss against her lips before he rolled onto his side, pulling her with him so they were facing each other. When he stroked her back instead of pulling her clothes off, she closed her eyes and cuddled against him.

"Are you cold, sweetheart?"

"No," she whispered. "I'm not cold."

She kissed the base of his neck, and as Ned's fingertips trailed down the line of her spine, she reached for the hem of his grey shirt. She tipped her head up and Ned kissed her again as she began to move his shirt up.

When Ned sat up and tugged his shirt over his head, she sat up too, moving into his lap, kissing him again and again. His skin was so warm under her fingertips, and his tongue slipped against hers, his hands cupped her hips.

She pushed herself up onto her knees, and while Ned's fingertips flirted with the edges of the thong she wore under her gown, he didn't move it. "You feel so good," Ned whispered, as they broke their kiss just to start another. "Oh, baby, so soft and smooth..."

She kept kissing him, waiting for him to make the first move, waiting for him to slide her clothes off, but instead he traced his hands down the backs of her thighs and drew her knees forward until she was straddling his waist, her hips pressed to his. He wrapped his arms around her and when he didn't move his hands down to pull her gown up, slowly she relaxed, their kisses becoming more gentle, almost teasing.

He rested his open, warm palm against her nearly bare back, just holding it there, and Nancy's eyes were low-lidded, her breath coming in soft pants. She kissed the point of his jaw, then his adam's apple, and when she reached the base of his throat again, Ned hummed softly, slowly bringing his fingertips up to touch the tie at the nape of her neck.

"Slow," he whispered.

"Slow," she murmured, feeling both exhilarated and intoxicated by his touch. "Put your hands on me..."

"All over you, beautiful?"

She nodded, nuzzling against his cheek, and when he slowly untied her gown, she began to tremble. "We were made for this," she whispered.

"I was made to love you," he murmured. "Just relax, baby. We've done this before..."

She shivered a little harder as he let her gown slip down to bare her breasts, then arched to press his lips against her breastbone. She ran her fingers through his dark hair, trying to calm herself down, but she was already aroused; she still wore the thong, and the fabric was growing damp and felt cool against the warm join of her thighs.

When his lips closed around her left nipple and he suckled hard, Nancy cried out, stifling herself until she remembered that they were alone. His large hands practically spanned her waist as he brought her back up onto her knees. The lace and satin gown fell to leave her naked to her hips, and he began to fondle her other nipple, humming in pleasure as she slowly swayed with his touch. "So beautiful," he whispered as he switched off, squeezing her slick, tender nipple as he suckled the other.

"I love you," she breathed, her head hanging, her eyes still low-lidded as she ran her fingers through his hair again. "And when you touch me, it feels so good..."

"That's right, baby," he murmured, and gently closed his teeth around her nipple and tugged. Nancy cried out again, trembling. She was desperate, but she was also afraid, and she knew that she loved it when he touched her, even if it wasn't really sex.

He nuzzled against her breasts, kissing the sensitive lower curve beneath, then laid her down so he could work his way down her belly. He slipped off her gown, and her heart beat a little harder as he circled her belly button with his tongue. He kissed the slender elastic band of her underwear.

She ran her fingers through his hair as he nuzzled against the join of her thighs, his breath hot on her through the thin fabric, and his warm hands gently moved her legs further apart, the backs of his fingertips trailing up and down her inner thighs. Nancy tipped her head back, wondering if he would go down on her, and she found she was relieved at the idea of only having oral sex with him tonight instead of taking things any further.

_He wouldn't hurt me,_ she reminded herself, but she couldn't quite make herself believe it. Of course Ned would never intentionally hurt her, but the act of lovemaking...

He kept going, though, nuzzling against her inner thighs as he ran his hands down her legs, kissing her knees, her calves, her ankles. Nancy said a silent thanks that she had shaved her legs recently. She opened her legs fully without any further urging, and just the press of her panties against her crotch almost made her buck and grind against the fabric in anticipation.

Ned rose over her again, and Nancy's lips parted when he reached for her panties and began to slip them down her legs. "Relax," he whispered. "It's okay, sweetheart."

Nancy swallowed hard, and when she felt the birdcage pendant roll over her bare skin, she reached behind her neck to take it off, afraid they might somehow break it. She sat up and Ned watched her curiously until he saw what she was doing.

Nancy pushed her loose red-gold hair out of her face after she put the necklace on his bedside table. "You're wearing too many clothes," she told him softly.

Ned smiled and pushed his shorts off. "You look so beautiful," he told her, and he let his fingertips drift almost reverently up the soft skin of her arm. He stroked her cheek, and when he kissed her, both of them naked, she waited a beat before she moved toward him. He stroked her back, down to cup her ass and draw her to him again, and it wasn't the first time they had been like this, not nearly.

But it felt like it was. The only time she had been more nervous was their first real night together.

She kissed him again, stroking his shoulders and shoulder blades, and then she wrapped her arms tight around him as he embraced her, her bare breasts pressed to his chest. Ned parted her legs so she was straddling his hips and she sighed, trembling with arousal as her tongue swiped against his.

Ned squeezed her firm ass one last time before he cupped the join of her thighs, and immediately Nancy bucked against him, panting, seeking the friction of the press of his hand. She sucked against his neck and felt Ned chuckle as he lightly ran his fingertips against her, without yet touching her inner flesh.

"You okay, Nan?"

"Mmm-hmm," she murmured. She felt lightheaded with anticipation as she kissed the side of his throat.

"Do you want this?" He ran his fingertip lightly up the slit of her sex.

"Yes," she moaned, her brow knitting as he began to gently press his fingertip between her thighs. He moved to lay her down again, stretching out beside her, and she relaxed when they were no longer close enough for him to penetrate her. She bent her knee and drew her heel toward her, shivering as his thumb brushed her clit.

"Mmm. You feel so good, Nan." While his touch was gentle, it wasn't timid as he slipped two fingers up into the hollow of her sex, still fondling her clit. He worked the entire length of his fingers into her, then held them still as he kept stroking and fondling her clit, letting her become accustomed to the penetration. She rocked gently against his hand, a flush rising in her cheeks as she became even more aroused, and she finally let her gaze meet his. He had a small smile on his beautiful lips, and his dark eyes were intent as he gazed back at her.

"Oh," she moaned. Her belly was tight with the rising tension of her orgasm, and she began to pant as she wondered if he would take her right as she was about to climax. "So good..."

When he pulled his hand back to slip a third finger inside her, Nancy bucked, sobbing. She reminded herself that he wouldn't feel like this, and while Bess had teased Nancy, begging her to confirm that Ned was incredibly well-endowed and saying how jealous she was of what Ned would do to her with his undoubtedly impressive cock... Nancy didn't feel glad when she saw how large he was, just a thrill of fear. He promised that all of him would fit inside her, but she was still mystified as to how that was possible.

"Shh," he murmured, and Nancy's gaze rose to his face again. He looked concerned, and Nancy bit her lip, wondering if the anxiety she was feeling was clear on her face. "Shh, Nan. It's okay. We don't have to go any further than this tonight."

She felt her sex clench around his fingers, and when he bent down to suckle against her breast, he began to work his fingers in and out of her, and she sobbed in relief, burying her fingers in his hair. He circled her clit hard, then harder, and despite her anxiety Nancy began to buck her hips urgently, crying out as he nipped at her left breast before moving to her right, suckling hard against the sensitive flesh.

"I'm so close," she moaned. "Oh God, please don't stop, please, feels so good..."

"I won't stop, beautiful," he whispered, his voice muffled against her skin, and his fingers fucked her rapidly as he flicked her clit. She screamed as she crashed over the edge and lost herself in her orgasm, shuddering and jerking and sobbing in pleasure. Ned drew back to watch her expression, and when he kept touching her she rolled her eyes back, arching.

"Please," she begged him, and she flushed even more hotly as her legs fell open, as she offered herself to him. "Please, Ned... I want you..."

Her inner flesh clenched hard around his fingers and Ned made a soft sound. "Shh," he whispered, but she had been in bed with him many times, and she knew that he was aroused too. He glanced at his bedside table, and when he moved, still stroking her as he opened the drawer, she wondered if he was going to pull out a condom despite their agreement.

Instead he pulled out a bottle of the lubricant they sometimes used when they were fooling around, and Nancy had to force herself to leave her legs open as he used both hands to open the bottle, stroking his erect cock with both the slick trace of her arousal and the lube. She watched him, her anxiety rising again.

When he moved to stand on his knees between her legs, Nancy met his eyes, trying to force herself to relax. Bess had told her, Ned had told her, that it would go much better if she was relaxed. But it was so hard; she was so aroused, and still sensitive from her orgasm, that even the weight of his gaze was practically enough to make her flinch.

"I love you," Ned whispered.

"I love you," she replied, and when he lowered himself over her, she tensed again. He was so big, physically, and she was caged under him; if he brought his weight down to rest against her, she would be unable to get away from him...

Ned sighed. "Look at me, please," he murmured, and Nancy felt tears rise in her eyes as she obeyed him. She had upset him. She had wanted to make this good for him, and she had upset him.

"I was hoping that if you got off first, you'd be able to relax," he murmured, and her knees were up, outside his hips as he lowered himself down to her, barely in contact with her. He kissed her cheek, her earlobe.

"We're going to take this slow," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin, and briefly sucked at her neck just below her earlobe. "Please try to relax, baby, and if you need to stop just tell me, okay?"

Nancy nodded, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, trying to make herself relax. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"About what?"

"You're upset." Her voice was small.

Ned shook his head. "I'm not, Nan," he said, looking into her eyes. "It's just I can see how nervous you are and I want to make this good for you, but I'm so afraid of hurting you. Are you sure...?"

She nodded. "Slow," she whispered. "Please."

He nodded too, and as he took a deep breath, she realized that he had complimented her so much... and she barely had. "Ned," she whispered, and his gaze rose from her mouth to her eyes again. "Thank you for doing this for me. You're so amazing and so incredibly handsome, and every time I look at you, I feel like I'm dreaming..."

He gave her a wide, genuine smile, and she couldn't suppress her whimper when he gently parted her inner lips, his fingers slick from the lube. "I feel the same way," he whispered, and she focused on his voice instead of the panic that was rising in her. She had thought lovemaking would be soft and sweet and romantic, that it wouldn't hurt at all, but she had to adjust to just the girth of three of his fingers. In some ways, she had been so impossibly naive before they had met. "You're so beautiful, Nan, and you feel so good. Will it help you relax if I talk to you?"

She nodded, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm trying to relax," she whispered.

Ned chuckled. "And yet, the panic on your face when you say that," he murmured, and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Slow, sweetheart, so slow. I love the way your skin feels, Nancy. The way you taste..."

She closed her eyes for a moment, then looked up at him again. "I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I didn't give you any attention."

Ned smiled at her, and her heart was pounding when she felt him angle his hips over hers, moving into position. "Bring your knees toward you, sweetheart... it's okay, Nan. We have the week together. I'll let you crawl all over me and lavish all the attention on me that you want... Now please, just try to relax, okay? You're okay, and we're not going any further than you want tonight... my beautiful girl, my only love. I love you so much."

A tingling pleased warmth spread over her. "You are my only too," she whispered, and she felt so exposed and nervous as his fingers brushed her clit again. She whimpered, her stomach tensing, and she tried to concentrate on her breathing, on anything other than her anxiety, but it was so hard.

"Shh," Ned whispered, his dark-eyed gaze on her face. "Shh. That's right, baby, hold onto my shoulders and if it hurts too much, just squeeze me so I'll know. You keep so much to yourself, Nan. But I want all of you. Just trust me, just breathe..."

She whimpered when the tip of his cock brushed against the join of her thighs, and she was trembling, concentrating on not scrambling away from him, and while her gaze was still on his face, all her attention was focused on what he was doing between her legs. She licked her lips and willed her heart to slow, and she flushed with pleasure when she saw the delight on her boyfriend's face as his cock just barely fitted between her slick inner lips.

"Oh, Nan..." She gripped his shoulders, reminding herself not to squeeze him, and very loosely brought her legs up to drape around him. Every time they had ever been like this before, he had only been rubbing the underside of his cock against her sensitive inner flesh; he hadn't penetrated her with anything more than his fingers and barely with his tongue.

"Does it feel good?" she whispered, shivering as she watched his long, dark lashes drift down as he closed his eyes.

"You have no idea," he murmured, and she could hear the tension in his voice. He was holding himself with such perfect control, the way he always had with her. She had always been so terrified of the thought of either of them being out of control, or of crossing this line before she was ready. "Oh fuck, oh holy _fuck_ , Nan. Mmm."

He lowered his head and kissed the corner of her mouth, then her lips, and when his tongue swept against hers, he barely rocked his hips, pressing a breath deeper inside her. Nancy closed her eyes, returning the kiss, keeping one hand on his shoulder as she ran the other through his hair.

While she was intensely aware that he was touching her between her legs, it wasn't bad or unpleasant, and they kissed again as she tightened her legs around him. She was very turned on and so wet, and his cock was slick, and maybe it wouldn't be so bad...

She felt it again, the desire she had when they were this close, the desire to please him and feel him inside her, so deep inside her. When they broke the kiss, he nuzzled against her cheek and she felt his breath, felt the heat he radiated.

"Yes," she whispered, and when he moved against her she rocked in response, smiling as he growled. "I want to be yours, yours forever..."

"Yes," he growled, and then he moved a little deeper inside her.

Nancy tipped her head back, going completely still as she tried to adjust to his girth. He felt so impossibly _tight_ and big inside her, and she bit back her pained whimper as he cupped her hips.

Then he released a sigh. "Shit," he breathed, and when he moved back she sank back against the mattress, boneless with relief. "Baby..."

She opened her eyes and saw him gazing down at her, and she took a breath. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You have to tell me," he reminded her, and when he kissed her cheek she let her legs fall fully open underneath him. He reached down and she heard him begin to stroke his cock.

"Can I?"

"Can you stay just like that?" Ned gave her a crooked smile as he released his cock so she could grasp it. "Are you okay?"

She nodded tentatively. "I feel sore," she whispered. "And you feel so big..."

He gazed into her eyes, his lips parted as she stroked him just the way he had taught her. "You feel so good," he murmured. "My beautiful girl..."

She gave him a slow smile, and he brought his head down to touch his forehead to hers, and he filled her, filling her vision, her every sense. He was her world, and as he shared her breath, his own becoming quick gasps as he approached his climax, she sucked his lower lip into her mouth and bit it gently.

"Mine," she moaned, her eyes low-lidded as his hips trembled in response to her strokes. "My first, my last. My only, Ned. I love you so much."

"Fuck. I love you," Ned gasped, and he kissed her hard just before he came. He spent himself on her chest and when she felt him begin to collapse to her, she released him, bringing her arms up to wrap around him as he began to gasp his breath back. She was, she realized with a small smile, finally completely relaxed, glowing with sweat and wrapped around her boyfriend. She had grown accustomed to this sated pleased feeling whenever she was in the afterglow of her orgasm, and while her inner flesh still did feel a little sore, she felt the most relieved that he wasn't mad at her for not being able to complete the act with him. He had been looking forward to making love to her for so long.

And oh, did he radiate heat. Her sweat had begun to cool on her skin, making her shiver, and with him wrapped around her she felt warm again. She toyed with his hair with her clean hand, kissing the line of his jaw.

Finally Ned moved back, brushing the tip of his nose against hers before he smiled at her. "Okay," he said softly. "You're okay, you're in one piece and not crying or telling me to get the hell away from you..."

She shook her head slowly, a lazy smile on her face. "I'm okay," she told him. "I'll be better tomorrow."

He kissed her cheek. "I'll be right back."

He went to the bathroom and Nancy shivered at the loss of his warmth, reaching for the sheet and blanket. She drew them up to her waist and Ned came back with a warm wet washcloth, gently cleaning her up. She pulled the covers fully over her and released a happy sigh as her body heat was caught in the blankets and cocooned around her.

Then Ned returned and joined her under the covers, and she cuddled against him, letting out another happy sigh. Ned stroked her hair off her cheek.

"You're okay."

"Yeah," she murmured, draping her arm around him and giving him a light squeeze. "I'm okay. Maybe next time I should get really drunk..."

When Ned didn't chuckle, she opened her eyes and gave him a smile. "I'm joking," she said softly, and kissed the point of his chin.

He gave her a small smile. "I'm just trying to figure out what to do," he admitted. "I hate that I hurt you."

She kissed him gently. "Don't," she said, and stroked his hair. "You did everything you could, and it means so much to me that you were so gentle when you could have been rough. And tomorrow I _will_ be better. Now that I know what it will be like."

His gaze slid to her mouth. "I just want you so much," he whispered. "I want it to feel as good for you as it does for me."

"Tell me how it felt," she whispered.

"Oh, sweetheart..." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "So good, so fucking incredible. You're so tight and it will feel so, so good when I feel you come around me..."

She closed her eyes, shivering as she nestled into him. "I still can't believe you'll be able to fit all of it in me," she breathed.

Ned chuckled. "It won't be the next time," he promised. "Or the next either, I think. So... did it not feel good at all for you?"

Nancy opened her eyes again. "It's strange," she told him. "When we're really close like that, I want you, even though it hurt. And maybe..." She let herself trail off, looking away from him.

"What?" he murmured.

"Maybe it would be better if we did it fast," she said, but her lips started trembling, her voice shaking near the end of it. "Oh God... you're so big, Ned."

He planted a soft kiss on her lips. "And we'll take it slow," he murmured. "I don't want you traumatized by what we're doing."

She returned his kiss, her body pressed tight to his. "Okay," she breathed, relieved. "But next time I want to make you feel good, too."

He chuckled. "It felt pretty damn good when you were jerking me off, sweetheart."

She stroked her fingertips down to his hip. "Good," she whispered. "I'm glad, baby."

He smiled, and his lips brushed her ear. "And maybe tomorrow, you think it'll help you relax if I eat out that sweet little pussy first?"

She shivered at the low growl of his voice. "Can't hurt to try," she murmured, and giggled when he rolled on top of her, nuzzling against her neck.

\--

In the morning, Nancy woke alone in bed and heard a faint sound behind her. When she turned onto her back, glancing over and blinking sleep out of her eyes, she saw Ned clearly trying to sneak out of the bedroom.

"Shit. Stay right there," he told her. "I'm going to make you breakfast."

Nancy giggled, reaching up to rub at her eyes. "The guy who pretty much told me he couldn't boil water unsupervised?"

"I may have exaggerated," Ned said, and winked at her. "Stay here, okay?"

"Okay," Nancy agreed, stretching. After Ned left the bedroom, she went to the bathroom and ran a brush through her hair and cleaned her teeth. She slipped into a pair of clean panties and one of his oversized t-shirts before slipping back between the sheets.

Bess and George, and her father, knew only that she was spending this week with Ned, not what they had planned on doing. She wanted to tell her best friends, though. She wanted to ask Bess about tips and listen to the naked jealousy in her voice as she told Nancy how lucky she was. She wanted to go somewhere with Ned, some beautiful expensive restaurant, just so she could run into one of those glamorous bitches Ned used to date and show the disdaining girl the love token Ned had had _especially_ made for her. She would be wearing his initials on her, or the initials of her married name...

Nancy shivered with a happy smile. She and Ned hadn't yet gone to a lingerie store together yet, and she thought about telling him she was definitely going to need a lot more underwear if they kept going through it so fast, and letting him pick out some frilly, silky gown for her.

Nancy was faintly, pleasantly surprised when she smelled something delicious wafting in from the kitchen. A few minutes later, Ned came in with a tray holding a glass vase with a single red rose inside, a glass of orange juice, a mug of coffee, and a plate of fresh, hot banana pancakes dripping with melting butter, a cup of warmed syrup on the side. Nancy sat up and propped the pillows up behind her, her eyes widening. She had thought Louis had prepared something ahead of time for them, like cinnamon buns or orange rolls, and Ned would just be reheating them.

"Your breakfast, love," Ned told her with a smile, and placed the tray over her lap. "Now, do you want sausage or bacon or anything to go with this?"

Nancy shook her head. "This looks amazing," she said, glancing up at him and giving him a grin. "I should've known you would be too modest."

"So there's one more thing in my repertoire," he winked at her. "I wasn't exaggerating that much. I'll be right back."

Nancy drizzled her pancakes with syrup and closed her eyes with bliss at the first sip of her coffee. He knew exactly how she took hers, and she knew how he took his... and he also had some elaborate, expensive French press equipment that made the most delicious coffee she had ever tasted.

Ned came back with his own tray, the same as hers—save for the large stack of crisp fried bacon. Nancy laughed when he very carefully climbed back into bed, and Nancy helped him keep his tray level until he was settled beside her. Then she stole a slice of bacon.

Ned glanced over at her, his eyebrow raised. "Oh?"

Nancy grinned. "I thought you wouldn't miss one of your thirty-six _strips of bacon._ "

"I had to make plenty for both of us," Ned defended himself. "And I left half for lunch."

"You mean this is one serving?"

"I like bacon."

Nancy chuckled. "I should hope so."

Her pancakes were the perfect temperature when she cut into the stack, and each was beautifully golden on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside. Nancy moaned at her first bite. "Ohhhh, Ned. I'm definitely going to cheat on Louis with you now."

Ned gave a mock fist-pump as he took his own bite of pancake.

When she was finished with her breakfast, Nancy was almost ready to curl up and go back to sleep; she just felt satiated and happy and lazy. She put her coffee mug on the bedside table and carefully lowered her tray to the floor, then bundled back under the covers until just the tip of her nose and her eyes were above the comforter. Ned was still happily eating his own breakfast, and Nancy closed her eyes, drawing her knees up. She wasn't quite asleep, but her breathing was even, and she just let her thoughts drift.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt quite so much tonight...

Maybe they could spend part of the summer in New York together, after she talked to her father. She could hang out with her aunt some, since she didn't teach during the break.

And in a year...

Nancy had been in school for fifteen years, and it was exhilarating to think that after one more year, if she decided, she could be done with school. She could be free to do what she wished with the man she loved...

For the rest of her life. The rest of their lives.

She hadn't put it in those words. She knew she loved him, and that he loved her. If they were able to make love, if he was pleased with her in bed...

Nancy was lost in her thoughts as the bed shifted, and she realized that Ned was putting his tray down too. He moved close to her, and as she began to rouse a little, she could feel his gaze on her. She opened her eyes and saw him on his side, facing her from his own pillow.

"Hey," he whispered, and smiled at her.

"Hey," she said with a grin, and arched her back as she stretched. "That was so good, Ned."

He cupped her cheek. "Some of my favorite words," he teased her, then gave her a gentle kiss.

They made out lazily, and when Ned rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him, she straddled his waist and kissed him again, her hips pressed tight to his. He grasped the hem of the oversized shirt she wore and began to pull it up, and she let him slide it off her.

And Nancy didn't let herself concentrate on it too hard, or think about it. She just did what felt right, and since she was on top of him, she had the control and the power to take it as fast or as slow as she wished. She parted her knees and ground against him through their underwear as he kissed her, his hand buried in her hair. When he began to push the side of her panties down, she let him.

"You feel so good, baby."

Nancy lazily opened her eyes to look into her boyfriend's, remembering what she had told him the night before. "You do too," she whispered, and when she touched the band of his shorts, he let her gently slip them down.

Nancy kissed her way down his body, nuzzling and licking and stroking him. She kissed his hip, his belly button, his inner thighs, then the base of his cock. Ned let out his breath in a long sigh, threading his fingers through her hair as she lavished all her attention on his erection, licking and kissing him all over before she took him in her mouth.

Ned groaned as she took as much of his length in her mouth as she dared. "Shit," he sighed, and he propped himself up against the headboard, moving back and parting his bent knees, looking down at her. The tips of her hair brushed against his inner thighs as she adjusted to the new angle and began to suck him off again, then raised her eyes so she could peer at him through her lashes.

Ned's lips were parted, his eyes low-lidded too. "Yeah, baby," he moaned as she bobbed up and down, slow and then a little more rapidly. "Oh God, that is so good. So good. Nan..."

She kept going, even when he warned her that he was close, and she almost held out and let him spend himself in her mouth, but at the last second she lost her nerve. She was gasping when she pulled back, stroking his cock with her palm, and he groaned as he spent himself in the cup of her hand.

He was still panting his breath back as she moved off the bed, shivering and naked, and went to the sink to rinse his seed off her palm. She had a small smile on her face when she raised her head and checked her reflection. She was a little flushed, her hair mussed from his fingers, but she had made him feel good, finally.

She turned to go back into the bedroom, but Ned was standing in the doorway. "Shower?" he offered.

Nancy nodded. "Sure," she said with a smile.

She hadn't taken a shower with him at this apartment, and the corner stone-tiled shower stall was enormous, glass-walled. They had more space to spread out, and Ned waited until they had both finished washing up before he sat her down on the short ledge in the corner.

He knelt in front of her, a wet washcloth in his hand, and gently parted her legs. She shivered when Ned tenderly ran the cloth against the join of her thighs.

"Are you still sore, baby?"

She shook her head, her gaze fixed on him. She was hoping that she had managed to overcome her anxiety and tension the night before; so far, she still felt relaxed, almost like she was still dreaming.

When he took her hips and drew her forward, then sucked her clit into his mouth, Nancy shuddered and reached for the water faucet, turning off the shower. Her other hand settled on his head, threading into his wet, dark hair as he went down on her.

"Oh God," she moaned, and opened her legs as wide as she could, pointing her toes so she could rock her hips. "Oh God, oh _God_..."

She closed her eyes, tipping her head back, her shoulders tensing as he stroked and nipped and licked her sensitive inner flesh, and when he pressed a finger up into her sex she shuddered in ecstasy. "Ohhhh _yes_ ," she moaned. "Oh yes so good, soooo good..."

She rolled her hips when he slipped another finger in to join the first, and when he pulled his head back and away from her, Nancy bit back a soft groan of disappointment—and then squealed when his thumb brushed her clit.

"Nan..." he whispered.

"Now?" she whispered, a thrill going down her spine. "Do you want to try..."

He swallowed, and when he stood, so tall and broad and undeniably masculine over her, her legs still spread wide, she shivered again. He effortlessly lifted her into his arms, and Nancy made herself hold onto the arousal she was still feeling, the glorious tension. She clung to him and he wrapped a huge fluffy bath sheet around them both before taking her back to bed.

"I love you," she whispered.

He kissed her cheek, then laid her down on his bed with the towel under her. "I love you too," he told her, and when he went to the drawer for the lube again, Nancy closed her eyes and relaxed a little. She wrapped herself in the bath sheet, chilled by the water cooling on her skin, and when Ned came back to her and touched her hand, she opened her eyes to see him gazing down at her, an apologetic expression on his face.

"Sorry, baby. I thought it would be romantic..."

"It is," she told him with a smile.

She dried herself off and Ned quickly did too, and when he moved onto the bed beside her, Nancy began to open her legs. "Can you... can you kiss me again?"

"You bet I can," Ned growled with a smile, lowering himself over her. Her lips were parted when he kissed her, and she tasted herself on his tongue. She had wanted him to go down on her some more, but if he kissed her for long enough, she was sure she would become aroused again...

And then Ned cupped her breast, fondling her nipple as he kissed her over and over, and she was just bending her knees to open her legs wider for him when he began to kiss his way down her throat. Nancy took a deep breath, gently running her nails between his shoulder blades, and she shivered when his lips closed around her nipple and he suckled against it.

"Feels so good," she moaned, closing her eyes. "God, oh, that feels so good. I love when you do this, baby... I was in class Thursday remembering the last time you went down on me and I almost came just thinking about it..."

Ned chuckled as he worked his way down her flat belly, tracing the edges of her inner lips with his fingertips. "And tell me that as soon as you got somewhere private you touched yourself thinking about me," he growled, a hint of humor in his voice. "Even if it's a total lie."

"If I were going to do that, don't you think I'd call you so I could tell you what I was fantasizing about you doing to me? So you could hear me come?"

Ned groaned, spreading her legs wide. "Tease," he whispered, and blew gently on her clit.

"But oh, this feels so much better than anything I had ever imagined," she told him, running her fingers through his still-damp hair, and when he nuzzled against her sex, she rolled her hips. "Oh God..."

He parted her, kissing the slick delicate folds of flesh between her legs, and she sobbed in pleasure when he worked two fingers inside her, stroking his tongue against her clit, teasing and nipping at her as she bucked underneath him. "Oh yes, oh fuck _yesss_ ," she panted. "Mmmmmm."

"That's right, baby," he told her between strokes of his tongue. "Oh yeah, that's right. Harder?"

"Yes," she moaned, and flushed. "Like you want to... like you want to touch me..."

"Like I want to make love to you?"

"Yes," she whimpered.

Ned suckled hard at her clit and Nancy tipped her head back, sobbing, her fingers pressed against his scalp as he began to work three fingers into the slick hollow of her sex. When he began to thrust them into her, shallowly at first, then more roughly, Nancy's eyes rolled back, and her hips bucked underneath him.

"Oh my God, oh _fuck_ ," she cried. "Please, _please_ , now, oh God _please_..."

"You want me?" Ned's voice was low, his breath quick.

"I want you so much."

He released her, reaching for the lube, and Nancy kept her legs spread wide, resting her head on the pillow again as she watched him stroke lube over his cock. He ran his slicked fingers just inside the opening of her sex, and Nancy shuddered, still looking up at him.

"I love you," she whispered.

He moved over her again. "I love you so much," he whispered. "Would it be better for you if you were on top, Nan?"

She shook her head. "I want you on top," she whispered.

"Then when you need to stop, you have to tell me," he told her. "I mean it, okay?"

Nancy nodded. "I will," she murmured.

He settled on top of her again, and even though she felt more calm than she had the night before, her heart was still speeding at his closeness as he gazed directly into her eyes. She felt a little shudder go down her spine.

"Put your arms around me, beautiful," he murmured, and Nancy obeyed, watching him smile as her skin came in contact with his. "And when you need me to stop..."

"I'll let you know," she murmured, her eyes wide.

She didn't mean to, but she flinched slightly when his cock came in contact with her entrance. "Shh," Ned murmured, holding himself still. "Okay?"

"Yeah," she whispered, and her lips parted when he pressed a little further inside her. She brought her bent knees back toward her and Ned brushed his lips softly against her mouth.

He groaned as he moved a little deeper inside her, and Nancy closed her eyes. "Oh," she whispered, arching, her belly tensing, and then he moved back a little, his lips brushing hers again before he kissed her temple.

"You feel... incredible," he murmured, and Nancy whimpered when he moved gently inside her again. "Mmmm..."

She tried to keep her expression even as he went a little deeper and filled her to the point of soreness again, then opened her eyes, her brow knitting. His lips were parted, and his dark eyes were fixed on hers. She shuddered, and when she dragged her nails down his back, he surged a little inside her, and she cried out.

Ned made a small sound and began to pull back, and she shook her head. "It's okay," she whispered.

"I'm hurting you."

"It's okay," she whispered again, and drew his head down to hers. When he kissed her, she took a deep breath and willed herself to relax. She would be okay. He had made love before and once they finally crossed that line...

He slowly moved a little deeper inside her, and Nancy gasped in pain. Immediately Ned broke the kiss and moved his hips back, moving out of her, and she relaxed again.

"You okay?"

Nancy nodded, panting her breath back. "I'm sorry."

Ned shook his head. "Don't be," he told her, stroking her hair out of her face. "Baby, it's okay."

She gave him a small smile, and when he moved off her, she curled up, shivering a little. Ned moved to pull the covers over her, then joined her underneath, pulling her into his arms and holding her to him.

"Was it... any better?"

She nodded, then buried her face against his bare chest. "Better," she whispered. "You okay?"

"Mmm-hmm," he told her, stroking her hair. "You're so beautiful, baby, so sweet..."

She smiled to herself. "Was it better for you?" she whispered.

He kissed the crown of her head. "You didn't seem as freaked out," he told her.

She shook her head. "It's a little easier," she murmured. "And you're so big..."

He chuckled and held her a little tighter. "Shhh," he murmured. "We'll get there, okay?"

"I hope so."

"We will, Nan."

They lingered in each other's arms until he heard his phone go off, and told her that, if she didn't mind, he needed to check on a few things with his secretary before the morning was over. She let him go, then checked her own phone.

_U better be in NY rt now._

Nancy chuckled and responded to Bess's text in the affirmative, then raised her eyebrow. She wanted to tell Bess about the love token, but before she did, she ran a quick web search.

_While the love token could be given to friends and family members, and were often hand-carved by the giver, in many cases a token was carved with the female's first initials and the male's last initial, symbolizing a desire for them to be joined in marriage. If the female accepted and wore the token, the man might take that as acceptance of his de facto proposal. Some women, though, collected love tokens from various suitors and wore them as a sort of charm necklace or bracelet. The number of tokens worn could indicate how "in demand" she was._

Nancy had left the token in its box on the coffee table, but as she looked up from her phone, her eyes were wide. Ned hadn't put it in those terms the night before. Did he know...?

Of course he knew. He had commissioned one specifically for her, and the diamond... And he hadn't been sure if she wanted to wear it...

When Ned returned to the bedroom a few minutes later, Nancy was fully dressed, her hair nearly done. Ned was in his shorts, and he raised an eyebrow at her, leaning against the doorway. "Why, Miss Drew, you are _definitely_ wearing far too many clothes."

She came over to him and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. "Could we run an errand before we come back here and make lunch?" she asked softly. "I need some more underwear, and I was thinking that I could wear the token you gave me last night as a necklace."

She was looking into his eyes as she said it, and she saw the shift in his expression as he realized what she was saying. "Great," he told her with a grin. "And if I happen to see some lingerie I want to buy for you..."

She kissed him softly again. "Then I would be happy to wear it for you, and make my man happy," she said with a smile.

"Just give me a minute to get dressed..." He cupped her face and gave her a long, lingering kiss before releasing her.

Their first stop was at a jewelry store. Nancy brought the token with her so they could make sure the chain fit through the pierced hole, and as soon as the jeweler handed over the silver chain, Nancy threaded it through and asked Ned to put it on her. She gathered her hair and closed her eyes as his fingertips brushed against the nape of her neck.

"A very unique piece," the jeweler said, studying it after it was securely fastened. "I can't say I've seen many of those. Genuine?"

"Genuine, but not vintage," Ned said with a smile. "Thank you so much."

As they walked out of the store, Nancy looked over at Ned with a half-smile. "So this time next year are all the girls going to be wearing these, do you think?"

Ned smiled and shook his head. "Well, not unless we run into Marc Vanlevy today," he groaned. "Guy hasn't had an original thought in his life."

Nancy laced her fingers through Ned's. "So does it look good?" she asked softly.

Ned looked at the token, then up into her eyes. "It looks perfect on you," he said, and the smile that lit his eyes made her knees weak. "Thank you for wearing it."

She gave him a smile, not trusting herself to speak.

Their next stop was at a high-end lingerie store. The only one Nancy had ever been in was Victoria's Secret; the adult store she had visited with Bess and George had carried some lingerie, but a lot of it had looked more like costumes than something actually meant to wear at home.

And the salesperson at the door immediately greeted Ned, paying more attention to him than she did to Nancy. For a second Nancy wondered how many other girlfriends he had taken to the store, but then she realized how it looked. She wasn't wearing much makeup, and she wore jeans and a button-down shirt. Ned wore slacks and a polo shirt, and from the top of his head to the soles of his Italian loafers, he radiated tasteful understated affluence. Whether he had brought any other girlfriends here or not, most couples in their situation were men coming in looking for lingerie for their girlfriends—or mistresses, maybe.

Nancy idly turned over the tag on a barely-there wisp of embroidered silk and almost gasped aloud. And she had thought she'd splurged on that silver silk slip she had bought to wear for him last year.

Ned told the salesperson, who introduced herself as Amanda, that they weren't looking for anything in particular, and she showed them the brand-new collection that had just arrived for the season. Many of the pieces were white or black, with a few in slate-grey or deep red or cobalt blue. Ned glanced over at Nancy.

"Anything you want to try on, sweetheart?"

Given how insanely expensive the first tag she had seen was, Nancy was almost afraid to look at the rest. Ned's fingers tightened between hers. "This is for you, remember?" she told him with a smile. If Ned picked it, she probably wouldn't feel quite so guilty about it. She hoped, anyway.

"Hmm," Ned murmured, and he selected three of them for her to try. Amanda scrutinized Nancy for a second much the same way Sienna had, and then took her to a dressing room with the appropriate sizes.

While practically every single item in the entire store was unlined mesh in various configurations, Nancy was relieved when the three outfits he picked for her didn't leave her exposed. They were low-cut, of course, and two of them were slit up to the join of the cups in front—and she was a little startled when she could clearly see her nipples through the thin fabric. But if he liked that, she was willing to wear it for him. She liked wearing the token necklace as she modeled them in the dressing room, just to see how the necklace would look while she was wearing the gowns.

It took some willpower, but Nancy forced herself not to look at the price tags on the gowns as she took the two she liked out and gave them to Ned. "If they're too much, you don't have to get them," she whispered, blushing a little. "I didn't look at the tags—do you want me to—"

Ned shook his head and took the gowns. "What did I tell you?" he murmured, smiling as he brushed a kiss against her cheek. "I'm happy to get them for you. And what else did you need?"

Nancy was hoping that the basic bras and panties at the back of the store were cheaper than the slip she had seen at the front, but she was startled again. She was used to buying at least ten pairs of moderately cute underwear for the price of one satin panty, and five bras for the price of one balconet at this store. She picked out a pretty pale-pink set and took it to Ned, and he smiled at her as they went to the checkout. A few other couples and women had entered the store, and were browsing—and definitely not reacting the way Nancy had to the price tags. Nancy blushed a little again.

And then the cashier told Ned the total, and Nancy couldn't believe what she had heard. It couldn't be that much, not for two nightgown sets and a bra and panty set. Ned didn't blink, though, just handed over a credit card.

Nancy linked her arm through Ned's. "I'm definitely going to have to wash some dishes to make up for that bill," she murmured to him under her breath.

Ned bent in and kissed her neck as the cashier swiped his card. "Or make me a truly exceptional sandwich for lunch," he suggested.

Nancy shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?" she whispered.

"Feed me, hopefully." He kissed her again. "And then model one of those slips for me. Mmmmm."

Nancy wasn't very hungry, thanks to the delicious pancakes Ned had made for breakfast, but she did make him an enormous sandwich, and she remembered to use the bacon he had fried that morning. Afterward they checked the movie listings but didn't see anything playing in theaters they were interested in watching, so they scrolled through the upper tier movie channels and found something to watch. Nancy curled up with Ned on the couch, both of them lying down with her back against his front and his arms around her, and they paused the movie for drinks and popcorn and just to stretch their legs.

When she was watching movies with Bess and George, they liked to tease her that she couldn't keep her attention on anything that wasn't an actual mystery for long. She often found her attention wandering, wanting to check her phone in case anyone had emailed her anything interesting, hating the nagging feeling that she was wasting time. Watching a movie with a boyfriend had always been a thousand times worse because the guy generally wasn't even really interested in the movie; instead, he was usually trying to cop a feel or, if he was shyer, working up the nerve to slip his arm around her shoulders or take her hand in his clammy one. At least watching a movie meant they didn't have to make conversation, and that was usually good.

But the movie they chose wasn't a standard plot, and it was twisty enough to hold both their attention. While Nancy adored that she was spending time in her boyfriend's arms—and that he tangled his legs between hers, slipped his hand under the hem of her shirt and let it rest against her bare stomach, but didn't distract her by letting it wander anywhere else—she was surprised again that she wasn't distracted around him. He took all her attention. They murmured questions and comments to each other, and she kept her hand over his, shivering whenever his breath touched her temple or her cheek as he spoke to her.

After the movie they were both feeling a little restless, and Ned laughed when he asked if she wanted to go for a run, but she agreed easily. The earth smelled fresh from the rain that had ended that morning, and they kept side by side as they jogged through the park near his apartment, challenging each other to sprints as their energy built up and waned. By the end of it they were both pushing as hard as they could, and Nancy dropped back to a half-step behind him but kept up with his pace, her lungs burning, her hair streaming behind her. She had taken some aspirin earlier to help with the slight soreness she was still feeling, and after the run she was both exhausted and exhilarated.

And Ned laughed as he gave her a sweaty kiss on the cheek. "God, you're amazing," he told her.

"Give me two minutes and I'll race you back," she told him with a wink.

At dinner Nancy was actually hungry, and together she and Ned grilled the steaks and made rice, broccoli, and mushrooms to go along with it. Nancy set the table and Ned lit candles, and while Nancy's steak was just slightly less done than she usually liked, he had done an amazing job at searing the steak and seasoning it.

After her shower, Nancy had changed into a close-fitting cotton v-neck and jeans, and the token Ned had given her hung just over her cleavage. She had two glasses of wine with dinner, and afterward, when Ned served them both slices of Louis's tart lemon cheesecake with sour cream topping, Nancy felt deliciously warm and relaxed. She wasn't drunk and she didn't want to be drunk for this, but she was hoping that lowering her inhibitions at least a little might help.

"So..." Ned put his cleared dessert plate down on the coffee table and turned to Nancy. "What do you want to do? Watch a movie? Or are you feeling tired?"

Nancy thoughtfully licked a trace of sour cream from her lip. "Why don't I change into something more comfortable, and then maybe we could see if there's another movie on?"

Because he had just bought her new lingerie, Nancy picked one of those pieces to wear for him. The teal-green silk was trimmed in whisper-thin black lace for the cups, and her hardened nipples were visible through them. The matching panties were backed in the same whisper-thin lace, with a tiny teal bow at the front. 

Nancy blushed when she looked at her own reflection, remembering the night Ned had asked her to watch in the mirror as they fooled around in his apartment in California. She was triply glad that Louis definitely couldn't interrupt them tonight. The woman she saw in the mirror was sophisticated and very sexy, and she definitely looked like the kind of woman who had every intention of giving her boyfriend the night of his life.

She had the short silky black robe she had bought before Valentine's Day in the bedroom she and Ned shared, but when she walked out of the bathroom and joined him in the living room, she wore just the outfit with nothing over it. The coffee table reflected a small pool of flickering golden flames, and Ned sat up a little as he watched her walk in. "God, baby, you look so unbelievably sexy," he told her, and she made her steps even slower. "Turn around for me... oh God, you look beautiful, Nan."

Nancy blushed a little, warmed by the praise as she smiled at him. "Thanks," she whispered. "I'm glad you like it. You have good taste."

"You bet I do," Ned murmured, and when she sat down on the couch beside him, he cupped her barely-clad breast, and she tipped her head back, her nails dragging against the upholstered couch cushion beneath her. The fabric was so thin that it barely felt like any barrier at all, and she whimpered when he drew the tip of his thumb directly over her nipple.

"Movie? Or..."

Nancy had to put an effort into it to bring her head back up, and when she saw what was selected on the channel guide, she flushed. Then Ned glanced at the screen too.

"Oh shit. I got distracted when you walked in..."

"Sure you did," Nancy chuckled, but took pity on him when he immediately navigated away from _Slut Training School 3: Anal Academy._ She had been worried that he had wanted her to watch it with him, and she was sure their relationship definitely wasn't ready for that. She wasn't sure that _she_ would ever be ready to even watch anything like that.

Finally they settled on something much more tame and Ned pulled her into his arms, spooned up behind her, his hips against her ass. He rested his palm over her belly again, this time over her nightie instead of under her shirt.

When Nancy caught herself blinking her eyes open after drifting off, she chastised herself, but she was feeling tired thanks to their run and the wine and how warm he was against her. When she shifted he moved his leg between hers, and she settled her hand over his, trying to focus on the movie.

Then Ned's hand slowly shifted up until he was covering her other breast.

Nancy moaned very quietly, tipping her head back. She didn't understand how the texture of the fabric between the rhythmic stroke of his thumb and her stiff nipple made the sensation all the more intense, but when she squirmed, she rubbed the join of her thighs against his upper thigh.

And then her hips moved and she could feel that he was aroused, his erection brushing her ass.

"Mmm," Nancy moaned, and Ned reached up and slipped the slender strap of her gown down her upper arm, baring her breast before he squeezed it, then pinched her nipple. Nancy gasped, parting her legs, and the join of her thighs felt tender and incredibly sensitive as his leg brushed against her again.

"Beautiful girl," Ned growled, his voice low, and he kissed her bare shoulder, then her neck. "Mmm. Tell me that sweet little pussy is wet for me."

"Yes," she moaned, closing her eyes, grinding against his thigh. "Touch me, please..."

"Mmm." He sucked briefly against her neck, and she whimpered when he brought his other arm underneath her so he could cup her breast as his hand slipped between her thighs. "Oh _yeah_ , beautiful, I can already feel it..."

Nancy bowed her head, flushing, panting slightly as he cupped her through her incredibly thin lace panties. "Touch my clit," she whispered, and when he pinched her nipple she shuddered. "Please, baby... touch me until I'm wet and dying for you..."

She had grasped his wrist to hold his hand against her when he kissed her earlobe. "On the couch, sexy? Your skin looks so beautiful in the candlelight, Nan..."

She nodded, and she felt powerless to do anything more than respond to his touch as he slipped his hand into her panties, and she opened her legs wide for him. As soon as he brushed her clit she shuddered, writhing when he squeezed her nipple and rubbed her clit at the same time.

"Oh _fuck_ ," she whimpered. "Oh _yessss_..."

"Like that, beautiful?" His hips surged once against hers, brushing his erection against her ass again, and the contact turned her on, knowing he was aroused, knowing he wanted her.

"Yes," she sobbed, and her nails dug into his forearm as he kept rubbing her clit with his thumb and pressed two fingers up inside her. He squeezed her nipple in time with his strokes against her clit, and she rocked against his touch, her lips parted.

When he stopped touching her, Nancy turned and fused her lips to his, trying to force his hand back between her legs. "Take your panties off," Ned growled, and immediately she did, letting them fall to the carpet in front of the couch. He pulled her back to him and she realized immediately that his underwear was down too, that his hot cock was bare against her ass.

He had asked her if she was interested in anal sex the summer they met. She blushed as she wondered if he wanted that from her tonight—

And then he slipped his fingers between her thighs, rubbing her clit and fondling her nipples again. He sucked at her shoulder and Nancy bucked her hips, grinding against his hand... and realized that her ass was consequently brushing against his cock. Her nightgown was twisted up at her waist and barely covering her at all, and Ned groaned in pleasure as he plunged the full length of two fingers up inside her and she cried out, her inner flesh pulsing around him.

Then she deliberately rubbed her bare ass against his cock as she writhed against his touch, and Ned rocked against her in response. "Mmmm, _yeah_ ," he growled. "Oh yeah, baby..."

She shuddered, tipping her head back, gasping for breath. "Oh my God," she whimpered. "Oh my God. Please..."

"Now?"

"Yes," she begged him. "Yes please, I want to feel you inside me..."

When he flipped her over onto her back, she hadn't realized how much she loved to look into his eyes while he was touching her and making love to her, but an electric thrill went down her spine as her gaze locked to his. He reached for the hem of her gown and she pushed herself up so he could tug it off, then wrapped her arms around him.

"Did you like that, beautiful?"

She nodded firmly, searching his eyes. "But I love being able to see your face," she murmured. "I love you so much, handsome."

He smiled at her, and she saw the expression shift in his gorgeous dark eyes. "I love that too," he whispered, soft as a secret. She had her hands locked behind his head and Ned grasped her hips, sitting up and swinging her onto his lap so she was straddling him.

"Mmm?" she murmured, tilting her head.

"I just want to try it," he murmured. "If you don't like it..."

Nancy took a deep breath. "Okay," she murmured. "But I need your help, okay?"

He nodded, drawing her to him, lowering his head to hers to give her a long, deep kiss. Her knees were parted wide so the join of her thighs was pressed against his erection, and she could almost feel the warmth of the candlelight on her skin, the quiet dialogue between the characters on screen—and the quickening thud of her heart. She ran her fingers through his hair and shuddered when his tongue swept against hers, her nipples brushing against his bare chest.

For a second she wondered if he was going to go get the lube, but then he kissed her again, his embrace tightening around her, and she didn't know or care. Her head was spinning, and every time she gently moved her sex against his, the friction against her clit made her tremble with arousal.

"I love you so much," she whispered before they kissed again. Ned leaned back a little and she tilted forward, balancing on her knees to grind against the underside of his erection, rubbing up and down and feeling the slick trace of her arousal cooling against his flesh with every thrust of her hips. He didn't need lube, she realized; she was providing it. "I love you so much, Ned. You are so incredible..."

He groaned as she rubbed her clit against the head of his cock, rolling her hips. "So are you, Nan," he breathed, and she whimpered as he parted the slit of her sex so she could enfold him more fully. "The way you're moving right now... you'll just do that with me, on top of me, okay? Does that sound all right?"

She swallowed hard, then nodded. "Are you afraid... of not stopping, when it's you?" she whispered.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid of hurting you," he whispered, cupping her cheek. "I never want to hurt you, baby. Never. I love you so much and I just want you to be happy when I'm inside you..."

She smiled at him. "But I am," she whispered. "I'm happy that I'm making you feel good."

"And you do," he murmured, kissing her again. "You are."

She kissed him back hard, closing her eyes as she turned her attention inward, wanting to wait until she was very aroused and slick to mount him. She felt so nervous, and then Ned broke the kiss, sucking her earlobe into his mouth, nuzzling against her neck.

"You feel so good," he whispered, and his voice was a little desperate. "Baby, are you ready?"

She took a deep breath, bowing her head as she pushed up onto her knees. Together they reached down and angled his erection toward her, and Ned helped her find the entrance of her sex. Tentatively she fitted him just inside her, and when she paused, Ned kissed her forehead.

"It's okay," he murmured, and stroked her hair. "Take your time, sweetheart. It's okay."

She felt a rush of panic and almost begged him to take control, but instead she kissed the side of his neck, reaching for the hand loosely cupping her hip. "Please, touch me," she whispered, and brought his hand to the join of her thighs. "It feels so good when you touch me..."

Ned's thumb brushed her clit, and he pushed his hips forward a few inches, positioning himself just under her. Her hips trembled as he stroked her, and Ned's head tipped back. "Oh fuck," he breathed. "Just keep going, Nan, a little deeper, _please_..."

Her heart was beating so hard as she very slowly let her knees slip a little further apart, and the tip of his cock went a little deeper inside her. She blew out her breath in a long sigh, her head bowed, and then she cried out as Ned's other hand came up to grasp her breast and roughly fondle her nipple. She whimpered, her back arching.

"Look at me, beautiful," Ned breathed, and Nancy brought her head back up, her brow knitting, her hand braced on his shoulder. "You feel so good, baby. Can you go just a little more?"

She didn't want to panic. She really didn't want to panic. It was so much easier when Ned was in control; she was so afraid of thrusting her hips and feeling pain as that same soreness flared up again. She gave him a small nod and kept her gaze locked to his as she tentatively lowered her hips a little more, her knees sliding further apart.

"Fuck," Ned muttered again, and when his hips jerked up under hers, just barely, Nancy felt weak. "Baby, you okay?"

She nodded slowly, lazily opening her eyes again. "Do it again," she whispered, and ran her fingers through his hair.

Slowly, together, they began to rock their hips in counterpoint, and Nancy trembled when he penetrated her to the point of soreness again. She forced herself to keep going, burying her face against his shoulder, and when her breath became harsh pants Ned made a soft sound.

"Nan..."

She couldn't take him any deeper; she knew he wasn't fully inside her, but she couldn't make herself slide down onto him any more, and she felt like he was against some resistance inside her. She wondered if her hymen was intact, and if that was why she was feeling such soreness and pain...

She let out a sharp, almost wounded cry and Ned grasped her hips to help her move off him. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm sorry, it hurt..."

"Shhh, shh, baby, it's okay," Ned whispered, cupping her cheek, and she raised her gaze to his again, her eyes pricking with tears. "Oh God, sweetheart, I'm sorry, it's okay. Shhhhh."

She bowed her head and then rested against his shoulder, and when she tilted her hips and began to rock against him again, he made a soft surprised sound. "This is okay?"

She nodded, panting again, but this time it was in relief and arousal. "Yes," she mumbled, rubbing her sex against his instead of riding him, and when he shifted his hips forward a few more inches she ground hard against him, her breasts bouncing with every jerk of her hips. That sore place inside her was still hurting some, but she still felt incredibly aroused, especially when Ned dug his thumb against her clit and she gasped out a loud cry.

"Too much?"

"No, do it again," she begged, tossing her hair back. This time, he circled her clit before he flicked it, and at the same time he lightly slapped her ass—and she actually giggled.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" Ned murmured, humor in his own voice.

"I think you definitely—" She groaned as he flicked her clit again, the thrust of her hips becoming more rapid. "Were going to do something to my ass tonight."

"You mean like tear that fine little ass up?" Ned teased her, gently slapping it again. "God, that tight wet pussy feels so good..."

She nipped at his earlobe as she kept grinding against him. "So tight and wet for _you_ ," she told him breathily. "For that big hot cock. Mmmm."

She flushed at her own words, but she was so damn aroused, and at Ned's next flick against her clit she felt the tension inside her begin to break. She tipped her head back and cried out in desperation as he kept fondling her, her eyes rolling back.

Then he leaned in and managed to catch one of her nipples in his mouth, suckling in time with his strokes, and she screamed in pleasure. She still felt incredibly sensitive, and the tender hollow of her sex ached with every throb of her heart, but she kept moving against him, sobbing, her hips jerking as she came. Ned arched under her, groaning as he followed, and they collapsed together, panting and glowing with sweat, their arms wrapped around each other.

After a moment, Nancy turned her head and kissed the join of his neck and shoulder, and she felt his chest vibrate with a pleased sigh. "Mmm," he murmured, and nuzzled against her, his lips brushing her temple. "You okay, baby?"

"Mmm-hmm," Nancy murmured. The pain had become a dull but persistent throb, and when she shifted it intensified for a second, making her wince. Ned cupped her face, gazing with concern into her eyes.

"What do you need?" he whispered. "Do you need aspirin, or...?"

"Yeah," she murmured.

"Here. I'll take you to bed, okay?"

She kept her arms around his neck, closing her eyes as he carried her to his bed and gently laid her down, then came back to her with a glass of water, two aspirin, and a wet washcloth. He helped her sit up, but Nancy felt frustrated with herself. Women had sex every day and didn't react the way she did... but the way it was hurting, she couldn't imagine just getting used to that.

"Open your legs, sweetheart," Ned murmured, his eyes gentle as he gazed down at her. She brought her head up, her brow furrowing slightly.

"You're bleeding," he murmured, answering her unspoken question, and Nancy blushed. She knew it had hurt, but she hadn't realized she was bleeding. Slowly she opened her legs, tensing a little, but when Ned gently touched the cloth to her sensitive flesh, she was relieved to find that it wasn't cold or rough. His caress was tender, and when she quietly asked if he could bring her a pair of panties, he did.

"How... how did you know?" she asked, as she slowly pulled on the underwear.

He made a vague gesture. "When I was cleaning myself up..."

Nancy blushed again, curling up as she slipped back under the covers. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and hid her face.

She heard Ned leave the room, and she curled up even tighter. No matter how she moved, her inner flesh still felt sore, and she hoped the aspirin would take effect soon.

Then Ned came back in, closing the door behind him, and slipped into bed with her. "Shit," he whispered. "Will you be upset if I sleep with you? Nan, I'm so sorry you're hurting..."

She took a deep breath, then turned onto her other side so she could face him. With all the lights out and the blackout curtains down, she couldn't see his face. "Can you turn on the lamp?" she whispered.

He turned on the lamp on his side of the bed, and his expression was even more concerned than his voice had been. She reached for him, cupping his cheek, and gazed into his eyes. "I don't want to sleep without you," she whispered, and gave him a small smile. "I never want to sleep without you."

He smiled, but he waited until Nancy moved toward him to wrap his arms around her, like he was afraid of hurting her. They both knew it was ridiculous, given how physically intimate they had been before their current time together, but she could sense that seeing her blood, knowing his being inside her had hurt her, had upset him.

Nancy moved up so she was facing him, and even though she still felt a little self-conscious, she drew the backs of her fingers down the side of his neck, and felt him swallow. "Ned, it's okay," she whispered. "You didn't hurt me."

"Yes I did."

Nancy shook her head, touching her thumb to his soft lips, and he kissed the pad of her thumb gently. "You didn't force me to do that," she murmured. "It's okay. I wish it hadn't hurt, but it's okay." Her gaze sank to his lips. "I guess it doesn't hurt for most girls..."

Ned kissed the tip of her nose. "When it's good, baby, it's amazing... it just takes time."

She drew a trembling breath, then nodded. When he gave her another soft kiss, she returned it, looping her arm around him.

Then Ned pulled back. "What do you want to do tomorrow? If you're still... if you just want to relax we can stay around here, or we could go out on the yacht... we'll do whatever you want," he murmured, gently brushing her hair off her cheek.

She gave him a soft smile. "Maybe," she murmured, then cuddled against him. "I'm sure I'll feel better once I get some sleep."

"Yeah," Ned murmured, and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "I love you so much, Nancy."

"And I love you," she whispered against his skin, then kissed him gently. "I love you so much."

\--

After breakfast in the morning—and Ned looked so concerned and solicitous that Nancy thought if she asked him for genuine English scones, he would have arranged to have someone fly some over immediately—Nancy pulled herself out of bed, moving cautiously, but she felt like she was okay. She was wary about fooling around again so soon, though, and she showered alone, considering what she wanted to do for the day.

She came out of the bedroom wearing a short-sleeved navy and white-striped t-shirt and a hooded Harvard sweatshirt Ned had given her, a pair of skinny jeans and sturdy walking shoes. Ned was sitting on the couch wearing a short-sleeved button-down shirt and khakis, looking at his laptop, and he smiled when he saw her. "We must be going out today," he commented.

"Excellent deduction," she teased him with an answering smile, coming over to sit on the arm of the couch beside him. "I thought maybe we could pack a lunch and go to some of the out-of-the-way places. I mean, I've been here enough times that I've done the usual stuff—the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, the Met—but between cases and everything, I haven't done anything all that different, you know? Other than taking yacht trips with virtual strangers..." Nancy rolled her eyes up in an expression of mock innocence.

"That's a dangerous habit, Miss Drew," Ned teased her back. "Maybe you should consider a chaperone. Some tall, handsome man—"

"You meant 'breathtakingly gorgeous and insanely smart,'" Nancy put in. "I mean, theoretically."

"Someone who can make sure you only go on yacht trips with men who pass a thorough, stringent background check and vetting process. If you must do such things."

"Exactly."

He slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a gentle hug, gazing up at her. "So do you want to go out on the yacht, maybe tonight?"

She shook her head. "You know what I really want to do?" she murmured. "Go stargazing with you."

"Well, that is a _little_ tricky in New York," Ned said slowly. "But my girlfriend's wish is my command..."

Nancy leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss. "After all, there _is_ a planetarium," she pointed out softly, and kissed him again.

In the hired car on the way into the heart of the city, thanks to a few web searches and both their memories, they settled on a plan of action. Ned knew of some interesting out of the way museums and collections, and he hadn't been to the planetarium yet.

"So did you want to go somewhere for dinner? I can go ahead and make a reservation," Ned offered.

"Why do I have the feeling that you really mean 'call a restaurant and just mention who you are and listen to them fall all over themselves offering you a table,'" Nancy commented with a small smile.

Ned dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "I would never," he teased her back. "Although I have been told that there will be a table waiting for me at Zari, should I ask for it..."

Nancy shook her head. "We still have the shrimp scampi to make," she pointed out. "And Louis will be back tomorrow?"

"Unless you want to be alone a while longer."

Nancy's stomach flipped a little, and she nodded. "Can we have another day? Is that all right?" Then she gazed up at Ned, her eyes wide. "Oh God. Am I cutting his pay when I ask you—"

Ned chuckled and shook his head, gently brushing his index finger over the tip of her nose. "No, sweetheart. He's on salary and he has paid vacation. I did ask him to come up with something great for Friday night, so I think he'll be disappointed if he's not able to do that, but I think we can rough it for another day." He gave her a wink.

Nancy reached up and gave him a soft kiss. "Then let's make dinner together..."

He returned her kiss. "Sounds great, beautiful."

Ned had suggested that they eat lunch in the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, and they decided together to end their day by taking in a show at the Hayden Planetarium in the American Museum of Natural History. For the rest of their time together, though, they decided on smaller, less crowded venues. Nancy and Ned had both seen a few Gutenberg Bibles, but they both were fascinated by the one on display in the J. Pierpont Morgan Library and Museum. Nancy's eyes lit up when the guide told them about a hidden staircase in the library room, and Ned smiled when he saw how happy that little detail made her.

They took the Roosevelt Island tram over to the island and Nancy snapped some photos with her camera, and she and Ned grinned for the camera as she held it back to take a shot of them both. One of the other passengers offered to take a photo of the two of them, and Nancy slipped her arm around him, smiling warmly as he looped his arm around her shoulders. After the picture Ned turned and Nancy gazed up at him, and the passenger snapped a photo of them silhouetted against the city skyline, gazing into each other's eyes. They strolled down to the Roosevelt monument, then headed back into the city, and Ned was dressed just as casually as Nancy was. Anyone looking at the two of them would just think they were a young couple taking a day off work or school and hanging out together, their hands joined, both the token and the birdcage necklace Ned had given her hanging around her neck.

And they were. Ned, at her request, would have bought out a show at Rockefeller Center, would have arranged for a full orchestra to play for their lunch in Central Park. He could do almost anything for her. He would do almost anything she asked of him, and she knew that. But she had shelled out for her own tram ticket and wrinkled her nose when he playfully huffed at her, telling her that he would make up for it by paying for everything else she ever wanted, ever.

"Because that's totally fair," she teased him, swinging their joined hands.

The weather stayed lovely for their lunch at the Conservatory Garden. Nancy had been to Central Park before, but she was surprised at the beauty of the garden. Ned told her it was apparently gorgeous at the height of spring when many of the flowers were in bloom, but some of the early ones were already coming up, and the air was alive with birdsong. Nancy had packed a blanket in her backpack and as they spread it out in a shaded area a little way off the path, taking out their sandwiches and chips, Ned went to a nearby vendor and bought them both enormous cups of frozen lemonade. The sandwiches tasted great after their exertion, and the day wasn't so hot that their picnic was a chore. Afterward, they sprawled out on the blanket, with Ned on his back and Nancy's head against his chest. He stroked her hair and smiled, telling her that seeing her in her Harvard sweatshirt, the picnic, reminded him of afternoons studying outside the library when he was an undergrad.

Nancy smiled at him, warmed by his touch. "Surrounded by fifteen admiring co-eds, no doubt," she teased him. "I can just see you, too. I bet school GPAs took a dip for your entire college career, thanks to all the students who were distracted by your mere existence."

Ned shook his head, running his fingers through her hair, and he propped his head up on his folded arm. "I was a scholarship student," he murmured, and met her eyes. "I tried to keep my head down most of the time. And even that wasn't quite enough; I worked part-time at a restaurant near campus."

Nancy's teasing grin faded to a smile as she listened to him, and she found herself unconsciously inching closer, drawn to the quiet sound of his voice. He told her about his stint as a waiter that first year, how the other guys had grumbled that he didn't need to do anything more than flash a grin at the female customers to get a great tip, so he had worked twice as hard, learning how to fold napkins and correctly pronounce the name of every wine, and speak with authority on all the menu items. He had gained an appreciation for French cooking there, which was part of why he valued Louis so much. It was only after he had made those first few trades and really started making money that he had begun to relax a little. In the meantime, though, Harvard itself had felt like a dream, something that only hard work and perseverance could keep from vanishing.

"Like the house," Nancy said softly. She had moved close enough that she could run her fingers through his hair, and she knew that couples and families and friends were strolling around on the paths near them, but they weren't doing anything inappropriate, they weren't in plain sight, and their voices were quiet. In a way, it felt like no one else really existed, not around them.

"The house?"

Nancy gave him a small smile. "Your mom told me," she explained quietly. "What you did for your grandparents..."

Ned shook his head, looking away, and Nancy was charmed by his modesty. "It was... I didn't know she told you."

Nancy sat up and gently cupped his cheek, guiding his head back up so she could look into his eyes. "If I hadn't been head over heels in love with you then, I definitely would have been after that," she told him. "I don't think I've told you enough times how... how incredibly, genuinely _good_ you are, and how much I admire that about you. I love everything about you, Ned. I love how strong you are... and how you can be so sweet and gentle with me." She leaned down, and Ned threaded his fingers through her hair, gazing into her eyes. "And I'm so glad you are going to be my only."

Ned brushed his thumb against her lips. "Baby, I mean this—you are worth waiting for. You are the most amazing woman I've ever met, and I am so glad we found each other... and that you gave me a chance."

Quickly, gently, she brushed her lips against his. When he gently urged her down again, she gave in, lingering a few moments longer. She didn't feel as fragile as she had when she woke that morning, and as he kissed her again, she wanted so much to lie down with him again, to linger in his arms for another hour.

Reluctantly they gathered the remains of their lunch, packed up and headed out. Then they went to the Henry Clay Frick mansion to view that art collection, then the Rubin Museum of Art. Nancy could happily have spent the rest of the day at the Rubin Museum, and while she told Ned she was okay with separating and meeting up in an hour or two, Ned said he was fine staying with her, if she was okay with staying with him.

"Always," she told him, standing on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss, aware that there were people around who could see them and a little embarrassed at any display of affection stronger than their joined hands. Ned just chuckled at her, and while occasionally they did part to explore the same room, they always joined hands to continue their tour, bumping shoulders and exchanging observations. Nancy hadn't ever been to the Himalayas, and she was fascinated by the museum's collection of art from the area. When Ned commented that he had always wanted to visit Tibet and India, that maybe they could schedule a little trip sometime soon, Nancy squeezed his hand in response.

For not the first time, Nancy caught herself wishing that she could be around Ned all the time. She utterly adored him, she found him fascinating and witty and intelligent and all-around incredible, but more than that, she loved the way he thought. He was able to give her a new perspective on what she was seeing, and he didn't hesitate to ask the docent questions or comment when he was amazed about something. He liked to dress well, but not to gain other people's attention, even though he did glow with pride when she complimented his appearance. He was more concerned with curing his own innocence than appearing less than obnoxiously knowledgeable about everything, even though his own breadth of knowledge was astonishing. He was so much at ease in his own skin, and she admired that about him.

And he had been invaluable help whenever she had talked to him about her cases. She loved having Bess and George and her father as sounding boards, but when she was speaking to Ned, she could sense in him no frustration or distraction or annoyance. He hung on her every word just as she hung on his, guileless, eager. He wanted to help her. Bess and George wanted to help her too, but Nancy had been aware for a long time that her best friends were involved in her cases because they were supporting her, not necessarily because they were all that involved in the mystery. Ned was intrigued by it all.

On the way out, Ned stopped by the desk and asked if they had any particular fundraisers coming up, and Nancy watched him with soft eyes. When he rejoined her, he wasn't gazing at her, searching for her approval for it; she was quiet, and then he glanced over at her, catching the moderately expectant look on her face. "What?" he asked with a smile.

She bumped her shoulder against his. "I just really love you."

He kissed the crown of her head. "And I really love you too, baby."

Late that afternoon, they headed to Hayden Planetarium. The next show wasn't scheduled to start for an hour, and so they bought tickets and wandered around together, looking at the exhibits and displays in the museum. They were among the first to get in line for the show, and Ned guided them to what he said were the acoustically perfect seats—or at least, he hoped they were.

"And I thought we were just going to look up at the stars and make out a little," Nancy teased him.

"Oh, I'm definitely not taking that off the table," Ned told her with a wink.

Apparently the designers of the auditorium had foreseen that other couples might have the same idea, because the armrest between their seats flipped up, and Nancy was happy that she could cuddle against her boyfriend once the lights went down. The room was warm enough that she slipped out of her hoodie, leaving it in her lap, and when Ned embraced her, she rested her hands over his, her head against his shoulder.

She loved being able to stargaze with him, even if it wasn't quite real. Given how remote his grandparents' house was in Vermont, she had a feeling that the view of the sky out there was practically unobstructed, and she made a mental note to ask him if they could do that over the summer, in the event they did make that trip. She found, to her mild surprise, that she would feel incredibly disappointed if they didn't end up going. She had loved meeting his parents and grandparents; she had seen a side of him that none of his other girlfriends had seen, that no one else in his life really had seen, and that meant a lot to her.

"Are you feeling okay?" Ned's voice was so soft it was barely audible.

"Yeah," she whispered, and gave his hands a soft reassuring stroke. "I'm okay."

"Good," he murmured, and rested his cheek against her head for a moment before he straightened up.

The show was long, but Nancy found it incredibly interesting. Her father liked to tell her that when the first clear images came back from the Hubble space telescope after it was modified, he had shown them to her, even though she hadn't even been two years old yet. The few times she had visited NASA, she had been happy to tour the facility and learn about upcoming missions and the latest inventions. Bess had made her promise that, in the event Nancy was invited to the International Space Station, she could opt out of that trip. George had been delighted by the idea, and Nancy could imagine that Ned would be game for it, too.

About halfway through the show, Nancy felt Ned's hand slip beneath her shirt, just the way it had when they had been watching the movie the day before. She glanced around just to make sure no one was watching, and she felt Ned chuckle under her. No one was disturbed by what they were doing, or even noticed, so Nancy didn't push his hand away. They hadn't touched as much, at least not the way they had the day before, and she savored the warmth of his skin against hers.

She hoped he wasn't upset that she hadn't wanted to just spend the day with him on board his yacht or vegging out in his apartment. She had wanted some time to have fun with him without the pressure of being alone and wondering if they would end up fooling around again. She had also been hoping that a good night of sleep and less strenuous activity might help with the soreness between her legs.

She had come to a conclusion, though. She just hoped that Ned would be okay with it.

The lights came up and the familiar sense of vague disorientation followed. Nancy and Ned followed the rest of the sluggish audience out into the planetarium again, and they reached for each other's hands immediately, their fingers lacing together. "Like it?"

Nancy nodded. "It was beautiful," she said with a smile. "Did you enjoy it, or did you just come to humor me?"

"I thought it was great," he told her, and she grinned at him, then tugged at his hand. "Oh?" he murmured as she urged him to pause.

Then she stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss against his cheek. "Okay, you have been totally _perfect_ today," she told him. "Doing everything I wanted without a single complaint or grumble. So I think you definitely deserve carte blanche tomorrow."

They had started walking again, slowly, and Ned raised his eyebrow. "Full carte blanche?" he murmured, and while nothing he said was overtly dirty, something in his expression made her realize that he could take it another way.

She flushed slightly, but gave him a nod. "Sure. We can go out on the yacht or go to Zari, or whatever you want to do."

"Hmm. I can't turn that down..." He kissed the crown of her head quickly. "Let me think about it."

Ned called for the car service to pick them up outside the planetarium, and Nancy was glad. While they could have found their way back to his neighborhood on the subway, she was feeling a bit exhausted. In the backseat of the car she cuddled against him, and Ned stroked her hair, kissing her forehead.

"You want to lie down for a little while? I can take care of dinner."

"Mmm," Nancy murmured, trying to protest. "No, I'll be okay. I want to make dinner with you."

Ned made a soft noise she recognized as a soft chuckle. "Okay, sweetheart."

He asked the driver to make a stop on the way back to his apartment, and when he asked her to wait in the car, she was curious enough to stay awake until he returned. He put a small, sturdy pink box in the trunk of the car, and when he opened the car door to get back in, over the normal city smells of exhaust and smog, she could almost feel the sugar in the air. They had been parked in front of a bakery.

"Was I not supposed to look?" she murmured, cuddling up against him again as soon as she could.

"Oh, you'll be tasting it soon enough," he told her, a smile in his voice.

Once they walked into Ned's penthouse apartment, he walked over to the counter to put down the cake box and Nancy shrugged out of her backpack. "Okay, naptime," she told Ned, toeing out of her shoes. She took his hand and led him to his bedroom.

Ned chuckled as he closed the door behind them. "For a little while, okay? Then I'll make dinner."

"Mmm-hmm." Nancy had to release his hand so she could take her skinny jeans off, and she was tired enough to need to sit down on the bed so she could wriggle and tug them down. She took off the hoodie too, and just before she slipped between the sheets, she took off her necklaces, afraid they might get tangled or otherwise damaged.

Then Ned joined her and she buried her face against his chest, their legs tangling together, and she let out a long, happy sigh. "We have had a long day, haven't we," he commented, stroking her hair, and every brush of his fingertips against her scalp sent a warm tingle down her spine.

"Mmm-hmm. And I only had one cup of coffee this morning," she mumbled against his chest.

It took no time at all after that for her to drift off, and she didn't even remember falling asleep. She did remember that Ned kept stroking her hair, and she had just felt so safe and warm and loved. When she blinked awake, though, she was alone in bed.

"Mmm," she murmured, stretching. "This needs to stop happening."

Something smelled delicious, though. Her mouth tasted stale so she quickly brushed her teeth, then put on some soft cotton shorts and walked out of Ned's bedroom barefooted, sweeping her hair out of her face. She found Ned in the kitchen, but she also noticed that the dining table hadn't been set—not the one inside, anyway. She saw a pair of candlesticks on the table on his balcony, though.

Ned smiled at her when she walked into the kitchen. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he told her. "I would've just gone to sleep with you, but my stomach started growling and I thought it might wake you up."

She smiled back at him. "It's okay. I'm feeling kind of hungry too," she admitted, and wrapped her arm around his waist. "So what do you want me to do?"

Together they made the fettucine and shrimp scampi with a lusciously buttery sauce, caesar salad with quick homemade croutons, and prosciutto-wrapped roasted asparagus. They served their plates and took them out on the balcony; Nancy ran back inside to grab her hoodie and change back into her pants. The night wasn't overly cool, but it was a little chilly. He brought out the bottle of wine too, and when he raised his eyebrows, Nancy nodded, agreeing to have a glass.

After he filled it, Nancy raised it for a toast. "To a totally amazing day," she said with a smile. "With the most perfect boyfriend a girl could ever have."

Ned smiled back at her. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it," he told her, and clicked his glass against hers. "I love every minute we spend together, Nan, and I hope you always do too."

Dinner was slow and leisurely and surprisingly good, and once they were finished with their salads and entrees, Ned gestured for her to stay seated as he went inside to serve them both generous slices of dark-chocolate glazed fudge cake. Nancy swirled the remains of her second glass of wine around in the bowl, watching the way it caught the candlelight.

Tonight. It would be tonight, if he wanted.

Her heart skipped a beat when he returned with their cake, and the dessert was amazing, decadent and rich and insanely chocolatey. Nancy was pretty sure that if Louis had handmade it for them, he would have found a way to take it over the top, but in his absence it was an acceptable replacement.

Ned sat back from the table once his small plate was clear of all but a few crumbs, rubbing his stomach. "Okay, that'll be another two hours on the cross-trainer," he groaned, but he was smiling.

Nancy shook her head and finished her glass of wine. She felt calm, and she wouldn't have described herself as resigned—more resolved. Before, she had been timid and unsure.

"That tub in your bathroom is gorgeous," she commented.

"Is it bad that I haven't even tried it out?" he replied, and smiled. "Maybe I've just been waiting for the right woman to share it."

"You want to try it out tonight?" she suggested. "I mean, if you want to. We don't have to."

"No, that sounds great. We can relax, and I know you're tired..." His dark eyes lingered on hers. "And, sweetheart... we don't have to do anything tonight if you don't want to, okay?"

Nancy's heart rose in her throat, but she smiled at him. "You're so sweet," she told him.

They cleared up their dinner and dessert plates, and once he turned on the water to start filling the tub, Ned searched but didn't find any bubble bath. Since he hadn't even used the tub before, Nancy wasn't surprised. She told him it was fine, and he tested the water, then brought in some candles. While he lit them, Nancy slowly stripped out of her clothes and gathered her hair into a ponytail to keep it dry, then dipped her own fingertips into the water.

She wasn't sure if it was her nap, her exhaustion, her decision, the candlelight flickering on the surface of the water in the dim room, the darkness, any of it. As Ned undressed behind her, she moved slowly and almost dreamily, dipping her toes into the steaming water before she lowered her foot to the bottom of the tub. It was enormous, clearly large enough for two, and as she sank into the water she closed her eyes. The temperature felt just slightly too hot at first, but she could feel it working on her tired muscles.

Ned moved into the tub and she sat forward so he could sit behind her. She settled back against him, her head resting against his shoulder, and he looped his arm around her waist.

"Mmmm. Feels good, doesn't it," Ned murmured.

"Mmm-hmm," Nancy murmured too, her lashes fluttering down. All of her was submerged, all the way up to the very tops of her shoulders, and she felt incredibly relaxed. She couldn't remember the last time she had taken the time to relax in a bathtub; she didn't have a tub in her dorm room's bathroom, and often when she was out of school, she was on cases or with Ned.

He kissed her temple. "Well, I don't have bubble bath, but I do have some of that lavender soap you like," he pointed out. He reached for the bar at the side of the tub, and she sat up and let him wash her arms, her legs, even down to the soles of her feet. Then he lathered up his hands and ran them over her breastbone; when he hesitated before letting his hand drift down to her breast, Nancy took a breath and reached for his wrist, guiding him down. He cupped her breast, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth over her nipple, and she rested against his shoulder again, watching him fondle her breasts. The candlelight was reflected in the gently lapping water, and before she opened her mouth, she felt a thrill of anxiety, but she had made her decision.

"Ned?" she murmured.

"Hmm?" he asked, still slowly, rhythmically stroking her pebbled nipples.

"I want to have sex with you tonight," she said softly. "And I don't want you to stop like we have been."

Ned didn't say anything, and then he lowered his hands and cupped them in the water, rinsing the soap off her breasts. "Okay," he murmured.

She sat up a little, then turned to look into his eyes. "I mean, if you want to," she added. "I'm sorry. Maybe you're really tired..."

He gave her a small smile, his gaze falling to her lips. "I'm not tired," he told her. "When I'm around you I just want to spend every possible second I can looking at you, touching you, talking to you. The only way I want to sleep is with you in my arms. So you don't need to worry about that."

She cupped his jaw. "I think it's going to be a little scary," she murmured. "But I think we're at the point that it's going to hurt if we go any further, but maybe... maybe it won't hurt as much if we just... if we just cross that line." She searched his eyes. "And you know what you're doing..."

He nodded, his fingertips drifting against the small of her back. "I've been with women who weren't very experienced, but you aren't experienced at all, and you're so scared..." He shook his head. "And there's no way for me to do this over if you don't have a good first time."

"But didn't you tell me that after the first time, it will just keep getting better?"

He nodded. "Especially if you talk to me," he murmured, his fingertips drifting down her neck. "When you tell me what feels good for you and what doesn't."

Nancy swallowed hard and nodded. "I will," she murmured. "But... I think it's going to hurt a little. It's just going to, and..." She looked down. "I just think we have to get through the first time, and then after that..."

He nodded, and gently brushed the ball of his thumb over her lips. "Yes," he murmured. "I just hate the thought of hurting you."

"But..." She kissed his thumb. "I mean, everything else we've done in bed... it's felt so good and been so amazing. Even if... _this_... isn't perfect the first time, we can figure it out. I know we can."

Ned actually relaxed visibly. "That's what I've been afraid of," he murmured. "That since everything has _been_ so good, that if this wasn't great the first time..." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, his lips lingering against her skin. "I want everything to be perfect for you, baby."

"You're with me," she whispered, her eyes slowly closing as she nuzzled against him. "No matter what, no matter what happens, Ned... it means so much to me that you _want_ to make it good. And there's no one else I would ever want to share this with."

He pulled her into his arms and they held each other, and even though Nancy had decided that she wanted this, even though she hated it, she was feeling nervous again. She was hoping that after tonight, she wouldn't feel as nervous anymore.

He was stroking her outer thigh when she pulled back to look into his eyes. "Besides, the first time I fell off my bike, I got back on," she pointed out. "I've fallen out of trees and out of saddles and even out of an airplane once. I think I can get through this without swearing I'll never have sex with you again."

Ned actually laughed at that. "So the thought of having sex with me is like falling off a bike," he remarked, his dark eyes glowing.

She wrinkled her nose at him, running her wet fingers through his hair. It was making her relax a little to be joking with him. "Not at all. It's like—when I learned to ride my bike, it was so much fun... like we've been doing. Like with training wheels. And now the training wheels are off and we're going to have to just... to just do this. And I want to do that with you. I want you... I want you to be happy with me, I want you to—to be able to come inside me, with me. And we can't do that unless we just do it."

He held her gaze for a moment, then cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. "I've gotten it wrong so many times, Nan," he whispered. "So many fucking times, and I've never been in a situation where I couldn't just walk away. Not until you. And I love you so damn much... sometimes I feel like I don't deserve this pure, beautiful... God, everything I see inside you, everything you give me, how innocent and incredibly sweet you are. There are some moments when you give me all of what you are, when you let me hold you and you're just unguarded and so trusting and I can barely believe you're mine... and it would break my heart to break yours. Not with how much you trust me, after everything, after all you give me..."

His voice was hushed and she could feel the emotion behind his words, and she leaned forward and gently kissed his lips, tears pricking in her eyes. "And you would never break my heart," she whispered. "Not if you feel the same way about me that I feel about you."

He nodded slowly. "I have never been in love," he whispered. "I thought I had been... but what I feel for you, what I've felt for you since we met, baby..." He shook his head. "I promise you that no one else on earth could love you as much as I do, Nan."

She smiled at him, and when their lips met, she had forgotten her nervousness. She knew him. She had known him for almost a year, she had known him and touched him, had learned how to give him pleasure and how to let him give her pleasure, and she loved him with more than her whole heart. Every atom of her entire being seemed to vibrate with unabashed _need_ for him.

"And I know that no one could ever possibly love you even half as much as I do," she whispered, her lips brushing against his. "It's because I know you love me that no matter what happens tonight, I'm not going to stop loving you, I promise you that. This... what we have, Ned, you said it yourself. It's a lot more than rolling around naked in bed together, even though we both love that, too. And I'm not afraid of you; I'm afraid of it—of it hurting, and of not... of me not doing it right. But if it's you in control, and you know what you're doing... I want to do this with you."

This time when they rose from the tub, he wrapped her in a bath sheet, and they dried themselves off before they went into the bedroom. They took the candles with them, and before Nancy went back to bed, she considered putting some lingerie on, but in the end she just decided to put her token necklace on again, and nothing else.

Ned pulled the bottle of lube out of the drawer before he sat down beside her. "You look so beautiful," he murmured, cupping her cheek, and seeing the candlelight reflected in his eyes sent a thrill down her spine. "You are so beautiful, sweetheart."

She gave him a small smile. "When you look at me that way, I feel like I am," she whispered. "You make me so happy, Ned."

His hand drifted down to her breast, and as he began to fondle her nipple again, she drew one bent knee up. "Mmm," she murmured. "Oh, that feels so good."

"Good," Ned murmured with a smile, before he leaned down to kiss her.

He moved beside her, and without his urging Nancy looped her leg around him, burying her fingers in his hair as she returned his kiss. She felt self-conscious and nervous, but the longer they made out, the longer his hand stayed on her breast, the less it really seemed to matter. She just tried to accept it, and instead focused on how good his touch felt.

When their kiss broke, Ned traced his lips down her neck, and Nancy tipped her head back as he cupped the join of her thighs. He gently caressed her, drawing two fingers up the edges of the slit, then back down again, and she opened her legs further. A part of her wanted to beg him to just do it, to end the awful anticipation she was feeling, but he knew what he was doing, and at least the foreplay was sweet and didn't hurt her.

He made his way so achingly slowly down her body, trailing kisses over her, suckling against her nipples, and he kept stroking her as he did. She had never really known or understood arousal until her relationship with Ned, and every kiss and caress made her lightheaded. When he ran a single fingertip up the slit between her thighs she gently bucked her hips, her heart beating faster.

"Shh," Ned murmured against her skin. "Shhhh. It's okay."

Nancy began panting when Ned worked his way between her thighs, parting her inner lips and running the tip of his tongue against her clit. She closed her eyes tight, her fingers pressing against his scalp to keep him between her thighs, and she didn't resist when he opened her legs even further. He only stroked his tongue over her, he didn't slip his fingers between her thighs, and when he suckled against her clit, Nancy whimpered. "Oh, oh, oh my _God_ ," she moaned. "Oh my God..."

She knew she was wet. She had to be. The sensation of his tongue, his teeth and lips and stubble, against her clit made her sob and grind against him in pleasure, and knowing that he couldn't penetrate her when he was going down on her made her relax a little. She rolled her hips and Ned gave her clit one last stroke with his tongue before he brought his head up to look at her.

"Good?"

Nancy nodded. "Good," she whispered.

He leaned back between her thighs and kissed her clit, swiping his fingers once between her legs. "Mmm," he murmured. "Okay?"

She nodded, trying to calm down as he kissed her inner thighs, then nuzzled against her sex before he began to move back up. He kissed her hip, her belly button, the underside of each breast, her nipples, the hollow between her collarbones. He was perched over her, and she looked up at him, her heart in her throat. He did love her. He did. She knew that.

He nipped at her neck, then rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. As soon as their hips were pressed together she began to grind against him, gazing into his eyes. His skin was gorgeous in the soft light, and she loved the gleam in his eye as he looked up at her. She moaned in pleasure as he rolled her nipples between his forefingers and thumbs.

"Are we going to?" she whispered.

He nodded, and when he glanced the tips of his thumbs against her nipples she shivered against him. "We will," he murmured. "But promise me that if you get upset or you need to stop, you'll tell me."

She nodded, leaning down and brushing her lips against his, and she could taste her own arousal there. She dipped her tongue into his mouth and Ned groaned, fondling her breast with one hand as he buried the other in her hair. She could feel the pressure of her orgasm building, and she began to rock more urgently against him, kissing him hard.

"Please, now," she gasped against his lips as they broke the kiss. "Please, Ned..."

He cupped her cheek and gazed into her eyes, then tipped his head up to kiss her one last time. She shivered in anticipation, and when he cupped her hips and rolled her onto her back again, she drew in a long breath.

Then he opened her legs wide, perching over her, and she could feel how slick she was between her thighs as Ned leaned over to grab the lubricant. He didn't pour much onto his fingers, and when he touched her between her thighs she jumped a little, more from how sensitized she was than anything else.

Then he gave her a small smile, but his dark eyes were soft and concerned. "Okay," he murmured. "I won't stop unless you tell me to, if that's what you want."

"Yes," she whispered, and when he moved over her again, the unreality of it was dizzying. He was about to take her virginity.

He was about to become her first, her only.

He leaned down and kissed her gently, settling down over her, his hips between her open thighs, and she wrapped her legs loosely around him, her arms around him. When he deepened the kiss, his hips stroking lightly between hers, she ran her fingers through his hair.

"I love you," Ned whispered when they broke the kiss.

"I love you," she whispered, looking up and into his eyes, memorizing the way he looked as he gazed down at her. She loved him so much, and she didn't want to forget anything about tonight. All of her senses felt heightened, especially touch, especially the press of him between her thighs and the weight of the token against her breastbone, the pounding of her own heart.

Ned gave her one more long, lingering kiss, and when he gently broke it, he pushed himself up a little and angled his cock so he was brushing against her opening. Nancy pulled in a deep breath, drawing her hand down to swirl her nails over his shoulder blades. "It's okay," she whispered to him. "I want this. I want you."

The first thrust was gentle and shallow, and didn't hurt at all. Ned's lips grazed her temple and Nancy closed her eyes, trying to keep herself as relaxed as she could. He moved cautiously inside her, in slow thrusts until he reached that sore place inside her, and Nancy couldn't suppress a quiet gasp. She gripped his shoulders, her lips brushing his collarbone.

She was relieved when he didn't ask if she was all right, or if she wanted him to stop. He kept going, his hips rocking gently, and then he kissed her again, his hand cupping her hip as he slipped deeper inside her than he ever had before.

He pulled back and kissed her lightly again, and tears rose in Nancy's eyes as she felt him press against that sore place in her sex. She dug her nails into the hard muscle of his shoulders, and he made a soft noise.

"I love you," he breathed.

She whimpered, stifling a cry when he angled his hips back and then moved between her thighs with a firm, steady thrust, and her entire body trembled in response. It hurt; oh God, it hurt, and she began panting harshly. A tear streaked down her cheek.

"Oh, sweetheart..." He moved somehow deeper inside her, and he felt so tight and thick and impossibly big. She forced herself to open her eyes and they were swimming; they cleared when she blinked again, sending another pair of tears down her cheeks. Ned moved between her legs again and her body moved under his, her spine arching. While it did hurt, she felt like she was stretching a little, and the sharp pain had faded into a dull throb.

"Look at me," she whispered, and Ned moved so he could look into her eyes. She ran her fingers through his hair, her other hand still gripping his shoulder. "I want to be able to see you..."

He held her gaze, and her lips parted, her eyes going low-lidded as he thrust inside her again. "God, baby, you feel incredible," he told her. "Oh fuck. You feel so good... Are you okay?"

"Yes," she breathed. She had a feeling that the worst pain was over, that he had finally broken her hymen. At least, she prayed he had. Every stroke of his cock inside her made her feel another ache of soreness, but when she saw the delight on his face and how much pleasure he was feeling from being inside her, she felt a tingle of arousal go down her spine. Very gently she moved her hips with his next thrust.

Ned's lips found hers and he kissed her deeply, his hips brushing her inner thighs. Almost his full length was inside her, she thought, and she gripped his shoulder again, running her fingers through his hair again.

"I love you," she whimpered when the kiss broke, and Ned cupped her hip again, his body stiffening. She had seen him come before, and from the look on his face, of pleasure so intense it looked painful, she knew he was spending himself inside her. She blinked another pair of tears down her cheeks, her body still wrapped around his, and he let out a long pleased groan, then slipped out of her.

Nancy panted with relief when they parted, and Ned was gasping for breath himself. She closed her eyes as he moved beside her, and she slowly drew her legs back together. The momentary pain she had felt had been intense, but after that she had just felt sore. Of course she would, she mused; no other man had ever touched her that way, and she wouldn't have expected to be able to run five miles at once on her first try. The muscles of her sex had never been worked out like that before.

Ned made a soft noise and she felt him shift beside her on the mattress. "Are you..." _Okay_ , she could almost have finished it for him, but he didn't say it. He gently touched her face and she slowly opened her eyes, giving him a small smile when their gazes met.

And he didn't speak, he just gazed at her for a long moment, then moved over her and brushed his lips lightly against hers. He moved out of bed then, heading for the bathroom, and Nancy looked down, sweeping her hair out of her face before she gingerly began to move out of bed. She didn't want to ask Ned to get a pad for her, so she found both a pad and a clean pair of panties and took them to the bathroom. Ned was just rinsing out a washcloth, and when he turned to her she reached for it, but he shook his head. He gestured for her to sit down on the lip of the tub, and she did so slowly. When he knelt in front of her, she took a deep breath and braced her palm on his shoulder as he tenderly ran the cloth between her legs, wiping away the arousal and traces of blood their lovemaking had left there. She could see the faint red staining the white as he took it back to the sink, and she took the opportunity to slip on her underwear. She hadn't realized how many muscles moving her legs and waist took, and whenever that soreness became more acute, she found herself cringing.

Then Ned came back to her, kneeling at her feet and gazing up at her. "Sweetheart," he whispered, and his palms were damp as he reached up and cupped her face, his thumbs stroking the trace of her tears from her cheeks. "Please..."

She shook her head. "It's okay," she told him. "I'm okay. We did it." She smiled at him again.

He smiled at her too, rising to take her hand, and he led her back to bed. He didn't join her yet, though, and she slipped under the covers, taking her necklace off before he returned with a glass of water so she could take some aspirin.

Then he blew out the candles and turned off the lights, and Nancy watched the colors swirl in the complete darkness, the faint sulphur from still-warm wicks floating in the air. Ned crossed to his side of the bed in the dark.

"Do you want me to turn the light on over here?" he murmured.

"No," she murmured. "I'm okay. Come here."

He had felt bad about hurting her the night before, and she wondered if he was feeling upset again. When he joined her in bed she moved toward him, and he slipped his arms around her, pressing his face against the crown of her head.

"Ned?" she whispered, her lips brushing his breastbone.

"Hmm?"

Nancy swallowed. "Was I okay?"

Ned moved to kiss her temple. "Oh yes, sweetheart. You were great. I'm sorry... I tried to be gentle."

She couldn't even imagine how much it would have hurt if he hadn't. "So that's what sex is," she murmured.

"Mmm... that's what sex is like," he told her softly. "And it was... okay? I know you're still hurting..."

"It was okay," she murmured. "What it's _like_?"

"Yeah." He kissed her temple. "I usually... well, that was still kind of with training wheels."

"So what's it like without training wheels?"

"I would have gone a lot longer," he told her. "A _lot_ longer. That would've been disappointingly short under normal circumstances."

Nancy's heart sank a little. "You mean it was disappointing—"

"No, no, baby. I mean that once you're used to it, you'll probably want us to go a lot longer. I didn't want to hurt you any more than I had to. And we can work up to all of my dick..."

"That was almost all of it, wasn't it?"

"About half," he murmured.

Nancy blushed hotly. "God," she whispered. "I sound like such an idiot, don't I..."

Ned cupped her face and moved back so he could kiss the tip of her nose. "You sound like a girl who had never done what we just did before," he murmured. "And you trusted me... and that means so much to me, Nan. You joked once that I was training you, but you're training me, too. And that's why I need you to talk to me." He brushed a kiss over her lips. "I know it hurt, but did anything feel good?"

When she paused, Ned made a soft sound of disappointment, and Nancy reached up to kiss him again. "It felt good when you were going down on me," she told him.

"God, I'd hope so," he murmured.

She smiled. "What we did, before you... that felt good. And when I saw how happy you were... I was just so afraid to move in case that made it hurt more, but you like it when I move..." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I feel like I was just... like I wasn't any good at all."

"I told you, sweetheart... I'm learning what you like, and once you're okay with me penetrating you, there's a lot of other things we can do... different positions we can try, things like that." He kissed her gently. "And just because we've started doing that doesn't mean we can't do the other things I know you like. Like going down on you..."

"Good," Nancy whispered, her thumb stroking his cheek, and they both chuckled. "I know it's just going to take time and it'll get better..."

"Mmm-hmm. So the candlelight and the wine and the dinner that your boyfriend made himself for you, were those good?"

Nancy giggled again. "Well, the candlelight and the wine were good... but dinner, that was spectacular."

"And when I was just barely inside you, you still seemed okay?"

"Mmm-hmm," she murmured. "That was good. You are really big, Mr. Nickerson. I mean, incredibly big. The biggest I've ever seen."

Ned gently rolled her onto her back and started tickling her. "Now you're just mocking me," he laughed.

"No! I'm not!" She shrieked and squirmed to get away from him, and as soon as she could she tackled him. The movement made the ache between her legs intensify for a moment, but she tickled him anyway, and they laughed at each other. He brought his hand up and threaded his fingers through her hair, drawing her face down to his for a thorough kiss, and she was acutely aware that other nights, the kiss wouldn't have ended there. Tonight, though, she definitely wasn't feeling up to anything else. Just relaxing in his arms.

They broke the kiss and he nipped very gently at her. "Baby, I love you so much," he whispered. "And it will get better, okay?"

"I know," she murmured, kissing him back. "I know it will. Just... just help me learn how to do this with you, okay? When I get better, I want to know what makes you happy..."

"You do," he murmured. "You make me happy."

"But..." Nancy kissed his cheek, the point of his jaw.

"But what, sweetheart?"

Nancy took a deep breath. "I want to be amazing for you," she whispered. "You're the only man I'll ever be with... but I want... I wish that I could be the most amazing partner you've ever had."

He kissed her so sweetly, pulling her into his arms so they were tight together. "You already are," he whispered. "You mean so much to me, and making love with you means so much more than with any other woman who has ever shared my bed... and because of that, you already _are_ , Nan."

At the hushed low tone of his voice, Nancy felt tears prick in her eyes. "I love you so much," she told him. "Oh God, I love you so damn much."

She could feel him smiling as he kissed her again. "And I love you," he murmured. "I always will."

\--

"Is it okay if I come in?"

Louis chuckled. "Sure," he called back, and Nancy came around the corner and into the kitchen. Ned had received a call an hour before and had told Nancy, regretfully, that he needed to take care of it, so she had kissed him and sent him to the office. That had left her alone with Louis, who was preparing their dinner for Friday night.

Since Nancy wasn't sure what they were planning to do, she had put on her jeans and a purple peasant top, the birdcage and token necklaces around her neck. It had felt strange to just ignore Louis, but she hadn't been sure if he needed quiet so he could concentrate.

Nancy perched on one of the barstools as Louis glanced over at her. "Did you want a snack?"

Nancy shook her head. "Nah. I'm okay. Did you... want help with anything?"

Louis smiled. "Do you really want to be my sous chef?"

Nancy paused. "I just don't want to screw anything up," she admitted. "I'm good with washing dishes..."

Louis laughed. "I'm fine," he assured her. "So have you and Mr. Nickerson done anything fun in the city?"

Nancy nodded, and when she saw that speaking to him didn't break his concentration, she told him about visiting the museums, the planetarium, Roosevelt Island, and the Conservatory Garden on Tuesday. On Wednesday Ned had asked if she felt up to doing anything strenuous, and when he had suggested heading out to the Hamptons and taking a short sailing trip, Nancy had called Emily Terner, who had been ecstatic at the prospect. Then Nancy had realized that Emily might bring up Sasha, but Emily had the good grace to eliminate that topic from her vocabulary, and instead told Ned outrageous stories of all the mysteries Nancy had solved that summer. Nancy and Ned had packed sandwiches and brought a cooler full of snacks and drinks with them, and the weather was perfect, just cool enough. Their sailing trip had ended a little earlier than either of them had wanted, just so they would have time to get back to the city and dress for their reservations at Zari. And Nancy hadn't brought any suitable outfits with her, so Ned had called Sienna. When they had come back to the apartment, the doorman had given them a delivery: a strapless embellished gown made of shimmering aqua satin with a mesh overlay, and a pair of strappy metallic sandals. Nancy hadn't been sure about it, but once she had tried it on, she'd had to admit that Sienna might be a little prickly and brisk, but she did have good taste. Nancy wore her hair down in very loose curls, and had put on the token necklace with it, too.

On Thursday Ned bought them tickets to an enormously popular Broadway play that neither of them had seen, and Nancy told Louis with all seriousness that if he hadn't seen it, he absolutely had to. It had been amazing.

Louis smiled as he rolled out some pastry. "I'll try to remember that," he told her. "Sounds like you've had a great spring break so far. And Bess and George are back in Illinois?"

Nancy nodded. "I think they're back home by now, but they went on a little trip with their family..." Nancy trailed off, wondering if Louis was asking about Bess, or just trying to be polite. Bess had said they had a great time on the yacht for Valentine's Day, but something had changed in the way she talked about Louis after that, and Nancy hadn't been able to determine what had really happened yet.

"So did you have a good time on Valentine's Day?" Nancy asked.

Louis nodded. "Did you?"

"Yes, very much," she said sincerely. She was glad now that she and Ned had waited until this trip to take that step in their relationship. She hadn't lost her virginity on a night she could barely even remember now—the part after the dance was a blur, anyway—and hadn't spent the entire next day suffering through an awful hangover.

It was curious, though. She felt acutely aware of Ned's body, of his physicality, and they seemed to touch more often than they had before, now that they had had sex. He didn't attack her every hour; he waited for her to tell him that she was ready, that she wasn't sore or hurting, and then they took things slow.

It was just another thing that she hadn't realized, before. She had thought that her first time would be amazing, painless, and that she and Ned would just spend the rest of the week rolling around in bed together.

And even though he was great in bed, sweet and tender and so amazing with her, spending her entire spring break in bed would have been boring after a while. They had had sex again on Wednesday night and Thursday night, and Nancy was pretty sure that tonight it probably wouldn't hurt at all... and Ned was definitely looking forward to giving her her first orgasm during sex. She couldn't wait.

Nancy hadn't yet talked to her best friends about what she and Ned had done. She knew Ned most likely wouldn't want her spilling every detail, but she had just lost her virginity. She wanted to tell her friends. Bess had practically started a pool about it, after all.

"Bess really is a great girl," Nancy said, wondering if that would help draw Louis out, but from what she knew of him, he would never say anything negative, not about one of Nancy's friends.

"She really is," Louis agreed, and floured his hands again. "And I'm sure she'll meet a really great guy."

"You're a really great guy," Nancy pointed out, then went to the refrigerator for a drink.

Louis chuckled. "Thanks... it's just that we didn't meet at the right time."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "We're at different places in our lives," he said. "I'm eight years older than you and Bess, and I'm not going to be working as Mr. Nickerson's personal chef forever."

Nancy frowned. "But we could barely feed ourselves without you," she told him. While it was an exaggeration, and she and Ned hadn't done so bad when they were the only ones cooking, the first meal Louis had made for them over break had almost made Nancy cry at how amazing it tasted.

"While I hardly believe that's true," Louis said, his lips curving up as he raised a skeptical eyebrow, "I think you would muddle through somehow."

Nancy took another sip of her drink, then propped her chin on her hand. Louis was a year older than Ned, and Nancy remembered Louis's story of how he had come to work for Ned. "So, if you don't mind my asking... what is it that you want to do?"

"Run my own restaurant," Louis answered, almost immediately. "I know a lot of great chefs, and I know luck is part of it, but to have my own place, my own menus... oh, it won't be as glamorous as this, and that's okay."

"Glamorous?"

Louis nodded. "With Mr. Nickerson, I'm able to travel, work in these amazing kitchens with the best ingredients available. The clubs, the yacht, Paris, London..."

Nancy nodded. While she and Ned had only traveled together in the United States and Canada so far, he had been talking about their summer together, and after that, their lives together. Travel wasn't so unusual for her, she had done a lot of traveling for her cases, but with him, with all he wanted to offer her, she had finally become more comfortable with seeing his generosity as something that didn't necessarily ask for any return.

Life with Ned would be an adventure. She had no doubt of that.

Louis sighed, a little wistfully. "I will miss it, but a place in New York where I can come up with the menu, something unique and spectacular every night... where I can settle down..."

_Oh_ , Nancy said silently. The heart of it.

"With a great girl," Nancy finished for him. "A great, very lucky girl."

Louis gave her a small smile. "It's going to be hard," he told her. "I know that. I've worked with some amazing chefs who managed to drive their restaurants into the ground, who had no eye for management or the business end of things."

"But someone like Ned could help you with that."

Louis nodded. "He's said he will. He did make me promise to hire my replacement, though, so you'll be in good hands. For a little while, anyway."

Nancy smiled. "Tell me this won't be anytime soon," she begged him. "Louis, we might go to the _Himalayas_ this summer. You can't miss that."

"And if you're in the Himalayas, won't you want to sample some of the local cuisine?" he pointed out, checking one of the pots on the stove.

"Yeah, but no one makes ice cream the way you do," she pointed out. "Or anything, really."

Then they started talking about the different cuisines they had tried, while in the back of her mind Nancy still tried to figure out what she should do, or if she should even try to intervene. Bess had enjoyed her pastry class at Chef DuPres's cooking school, but she had never expressed any interest in working in a restaurant for her career. And Bess really did seem to enjoy spending time with Louis, or she had, anyway.

But maybe Louis had told Bess about his dream, and they had realized it wouldn't work for them. His comment that they hadn't met at the right time came back to Nancy. Ned was willing to wait for her, and while they had talked about forever, they had never put a name on what their relationship would be. Just the two of them, forever. And if he helped her set up her agency...

But Ned was seven years older, too; soon he would be twenty-eight years old, almost thirty. Whenever she asked him what he wanted to do, what his goals and dreams were, he had always told her that she was his dream. Now that he had her...

She had sudden visions of Ned asking her to go away with him for a month, to walk away from her work just to be with him for a while. Coming home later than she had expected and finding him upset, angry, not understanding.

But during all their time together, he had never been that way with her. Hell, when the case had kept her from coming to New York on Thursday night, he hadn't called her and told her in a huff that she could just stay in Illinois for all he cared. He wanted to be with her, and he _could_ be with her.

And the necklace, she couldn't help hoping, might not be the last significant piece of jewelry he ever gave her.

When Ned came back a few hours later and found them in the kitchen, he shook his head. Nancy brought her head up, her eyes dancing. "Hey sweetheart!" she cried, and quickly washed her hands before she came over to him, launching herself into his arms. "Everything okay?"

Ned nodded, a warm grin on his face. "Everything's great. Can I tear you away from your other boyfriend for a while?"

Nancy heaved a dramatic sigh, then glanced over at Louis and blew him a kiss. "I will always love you second-best, Louis."

Louis clutched at his heart, leaving a halo of flour on his chef's jacket. "You wound me to the core, Miss Drew," he said, and shook his head in mock sorrow.

Nancy could feel the approaching end of her spring break like a weight in her heart, and she was pretty sure Ned could too. On Saturday they went out on his yacht, but instead of sunbathing and lazing the whole day, they went scuba diving. They went to a movie playing at one of the large downtown theaters late Saturday, and Nancy was glad that the armrests flipped up between the seats so they could cuddle together while they were watching it.

When they went back to Ned's apartment afterward, Louis had already left for the night, and Nancy had her fingers twisted in Ned's collar and her lips fused to his as they stumbled into the dark entryway. "I'm going to start calling you Tigger," Ned murmured as he kicked the door shut behind them.

"Oh?"

"You keep pouncing on me," he teased her, cupping her waist and boosting her back up again so their gazes were level.

"Are you saying you don't like that, Mr. Nickerson?" Nancy was grinning.

"Quite, most definitely, the opposite, Miss Drew," he told her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to his bedroom. He was able to find his way there even though they kept making out, her fingers buried in his thick dark hair, and she wanted to get up and change before they went to bed... but he laid her down and rested on top of her, still making out with her, and his kisses and his embrace were so sweet that she didn't want to let him go.

Then he shifted his weight so he could touch the fly of her jeans, and Nancy broke their kiss, panting softly. "Mmm. I'll be right back."

Ned rolled onto his side, making a quiet sound. "Guess I should go get ready too," he murmured, and drew her to him for one more kiss.

Nancy cleaned herself up and brushed her teeth, then changed into her blush-pink slip. When she looked at her reflection, she had faint high color in her cheeks and her hair was tousled, and she couldn't stop grinning. She loved her boyfriend. She loved him, loved him, loved him so much, and after an uninterrupted week together, the thought of going back to class, not being able to see him for hours... well, at least she was here with him now.

She walked back into the bedroom and Ned was on the bed, entirely naked, the bottle of lube already out on the bedside table. It was just in case, Nancy knew. They hadn't needed it the last few times.

"Hey beautiful," Ned said, his dark eyes glowing as he gazed at her.

"Hey handsome," she smiled, crossing to the bed. She loved just _looking_ at him, she loved how forbidden and almost decadent it felt to see him so unabashedly naked, but what she had always loved most about being with him was looking into his eyes and seeing the adoration and desire there.

He sat up as she came close to him, and when she reached the bed he stroked his palm down her hip, his hand warm through the thin fabric. "I love you so much," he told her, and he brought his other hand up, caressing her sides before he reached for the hem of her gown.

"I love you too," she replied, moving slowly onto the bed, straddling his lap, and Ned slowly stripped her gown off. He dropped it onto the floor and caught her hands in his, holding them up above both their heads, and she was clad only in a pair of tiny lace panties. She tipped forward a little and kissed him very gently, and Ned laced his fingers between hers.

He deepened the kiss, keeping one hand clasped to hers as he stroked her with the other, and oh, God, oh _God_ , he was so incredible at this. When they had fooled around in bed before they had decided to have sex, she had swooned and quivered at his touch, breathless with anticipation of the pleasure he always gave her, but it had always been separate. And, for him, it had always been for her alone. He made her come, his hands or his mouth or both on her, sometimes quick, sometimes so incredibly slow that they were joined for what felt like hours.

But now that they were having actual sex... God, the foreplay. His goal seemed to be to make her insanely wet and begging him to get inside her before he gave in, and given how incredible his self-control had been when they had been _naked_ in bed together, rubbing against each other without his actually penetrating her... oh, she felt like she had created a monster. A monster who had learned exactly how to fondle and suckle and tease her to bring her to the brink of orgasm.

He cupped her hips and brought her up to stand on her knees so her breasts were near his lips, and he nuzzled against them before he trailed soft kisses over each. Nancy buried her hands in his hair, hanging her head as he drew her nipple into his mouth and began to suckle, and she panted, her hips rocking gently in anticipation. Usually he was on top of her by now, pinning her down as he lavished his attention on her breasts, and sitting up like this was nice. Other than the awkwardness and pain of their first few attempts at sex, she couldn't think of anything they had done in bed that she hadn't absolutely loved.

He kept teasing her, running his fingertips around the elastic band of her panties and dipping them just beneath without sliding the fabric down, drawing loops and spirals over her panties and against her sex, squeezing her ass. He rubbed firmly against her clit through her panties and Nancy jerked, grinding against his hand.

Then he kissed the flesh just above the love token she was still wearing. "Take your panties off, beautiful," he murmured, and Nancy scrambled off him to obey. She began to climb back into bed beside him so she could lie on her back, but he caught her, maneuvering her on top of him again so she was straddling him as he sat at the edge of the bed.

"Ned?" she murmured as she searched his gaze, her skin flushed, every cell in her body eager and sensitized.

"Like this?"

"Okay," she murmured, and when she leaned in to kiss her boyfriend, she was unsurprised that he grasped her ass and pulled her forward so her hips were pressed to his. As soon as her clit brushed his erection, Nancy shivered and let out a soft groan, grinding against him. She kissed him even harder and he stroked his large warm palms up and down her outer thighs, trailing his fingertips up her spine, then grasped her hips and bucked under her.

Nancy whimpered in pleasure and Ned nipped at her neck, then sucked hard at the join of her neck and shoulder. "Ned," she whined, her hips jerking as she rocked against him. "Please..."

"Please what?" he murmured, and damn him, she could hear the smile in his voice under the breathlessness.

"Get inside me," she begged him. "Come inside me..."

He leaned back, propping himself up on one elbow as he helped her guide the tip of his cock to the entrance of her sex. Nancy felt a little nervous, since she had never been on top, but he gave her a nod. "That's it," he murmured, and Nancy's lashes fluttered as she sank down a little. "Oh yeah, baby... holy fuck, you feel so good."

Her lips turned up in a small grin, and she slowly let her knees slide apart—and then Ned ran the ball of his thumb over her clit and she cried out. "Yes, _yessss_ ," she groaned, and began to rock against him. She took him a little slower than she wanted, but she could still vividly remember how much his penetration had hurt her the first times they'd had sex, and she couldn't help feeling a little cautious. All she felt this time was just fullness, awareness, and incredible satisfaction when the full length of his cock was buried between her thighs, tight and thick inside her.

" _Shit_ ," Ned sighed, gazing up into her face. "Good?"

Nancy nodded, her lips parted. "Mmm... oh, God, so good..."

"You want to ride me, beautiful?"

Nancy flushed a little as she drew herself up to thrust her hips down again, and Ned groaned as he began to fondle her clit again. "Holy God. You feel so good, baby. So incredibly good, so sweet and tight..."

She was already warm, but the low sound of his voice and the steady rhythm he used to stroke her clit made her flush even hotter. "Mmm... oh, oh! Oh _God_..."

Ned collapsed to the bed, bringing his other hand up to fondle her breast as he rubbed her clit, and Nancy arched, thrusting her hips rapidly against his. "Yessss, yes," she moaned.

Ned pinched her nipple, dragging the very tip of his thumb over her clit, and Nancy gasped, feeling her sex contract around his in a quick spasm of arousal. When he did it again she began to pant in desperation, trying to find a good angle so she could fuck him harder.

"You can squat over me," Ned gasped out. "Or you can lean back and do it that way... holy _shit_ , you feel so good..."

She glanced behind her and Ned grasped her hips, pulling her forward with him and scooting back on the bed so she would have space to prop herself up. She leaned back, disappointed when he wasn't fondling her breasts anymore, but as she propped her weight behind her and felt the new angle of his cock as she bucked against him, he used both hands to fondle and stroke her clit and her sex, and Nancy let out a loud cry. He arched hard and she bucked her hips in a rapid, brutal thrust, tipping her head back, her legs spread wide, sobbing in pleasure as she fucked him. She had been a little nervous at first, but she loved being in control of their lovemaking, that she could make it as hard or gentle as she wanted, as rapid or as slow.

And she wanted him hard, rough. When he had been able to work the entire length of his cock inside her without it hurting the way it had the night he took her virginity, she had been happy—and God, bucking against him, almost _rutting_ against him, felt so fucking good.

"Baby," Ned groaned. "Oh God. God... mmm."

Nancy brought her head up, her gaze concerned. "Okay?" she murmured, still thrusting her hips against his.

"God yes, baby. You look so fucking beautiful, so sexy," he murmured, and when he propped himself up a little, when she realized that he was watching her slide up and down his cock, she flushed again. She wondered what it looked like, if they could do this again in his Los Angeles apartment and watch as they made love, and her sex clenched around his again.

"Really?" she whispered, her voice a gasp.

"Fuck yes," Ned replied, bringing his dark, intense gaze up to hers again, his hips bucking up under hers as she came down for her next thrust, and Nancy cried out in pleasure. "Oh fuck yes, the sexiest thing I've ever seen... my beautiful girl riding me, getting off on my cock. Sexy as _hell_."

His words made her shiver in delight, and her sobs and cries were louder as the glorious tension of her climax began to build. "Oh God, _Ned_ , you feel so good..."

"Tell me, baby."

"Mmm... I love how good it feels when you... when you fill me up... when you touch me," she gasped, and she cried out again when he dug his thumb against her clit. "Oh my _God!_ "

"That's right," he growled, and when he did it again, Nancy almost screamed, her sex clenching harder around his.

"Ned," she sobbed out. "Please..."

"What do you need, baby?"

"Please, hard—I need you—"

When she took his hip and gently tugged, he understood and rolled with her, and Nancy actually did scream in pleasure as he buried the full length of his cock between her thighs. Her knees were bent, legs spread wide and hips tilted up to leave her fully exposed for him, and when he drove hard inside her she writhed, bucking as she sobbed his name.

"Mmm," he growled, rapidly fondling her clit. "Wrap those sexy legs around me, gorgeous."

He was standing on the floor, she realized, and they had never done that before—and as she wrapped her legs around him, they rocked together. He kept stroking her clit, and her hips bucked wildly, her head tipped back.

"Oh _shit_ ," she sobbed as her climax hit her, her nails scratching against the comforter, her eyes rolling back. "Oh yes yes _yes so good..._ "

"Fuck," Ned said hoarsely, and Nancy trembled against him as he made his thrusts longer, firm and steady. Her breath came only in sobs as she circled her hips. "Nancy..."

"God," she whimpered, and when she reached up and grasped his arm, he stiffened and she felt him surge inside her. His thumb stilled against her clit and she held herself still as her slick inner flesh pulsed around him.

"Mmm," Ned murmured, and when he slumped against her Nancy slipped her arms around him, holding him as they both tried to catch their breath. The muscles of her inner thighs were complaining from the exertion, but she didn't care. She stroked her fingers through his hair, her eyes fluttering closed.

It seemed to take Ned longer than usual to part from her, and when he pushed himself up, she looked up at him, returning the smile he gave her. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she murmured, and let her fingers glide down the line of his jaw, the ball of her thumb brushing his lips. He kissed her gently, then went to the bathroom for a cloth. Nancy slumped against the mattress, feeling almost entirely exhausted, sated and spent.

He cleaned them both up and Nancy pulled her underwear back on before she cuddled up to him. "Wow," she murmured, her body relaxing almost immediately as her skin came into contact with his.

"Mmm-hmm," Ned agreed, and stroked her hair off her cheek. "Tell me we don't really have to go back tomorrow."

Nancy's lips curved up in a small smile. "Well, I do," she said, genuine sadness in her tone. Ned was flying back with her, but he would be at his apartment, and she at her dorm, for the busy week right after spring break. "I wish we could stay longer."

"Me too," Ned murmured, and pressed a kiss against her forehead. "Although if I had my wish, we'd spend half our time together naked and fucking."

Her smile widened a little. "So have I gotten better?"

"You were always great," he told her solemnly. "But, yes. And it's only because you're more relaxed now, that's all."

"Mmm-hmm." Nancy kissed his chest gently.

Ned's voice dropped to that low, rough growl that always sent a shiver down her spine. "So you seemed to like being on top...?"

"Yeah," Nancy admitted. "And you like watching me?"

"Oh yes," he told her. "Very much. It's hot as hell."

"Maybe..." Nancy swallowed. "The mirror...?"

"You want to watch too?" Ned was smiling; she could feel it as he kissed her cheek. "I'd love that, beautiful. We'll do everything you want, anything you want to try."

"Mmm. Okay," Nancy said happily. "But I think for now, since you actually know what the hell we're doing..."

"You did great, sweetheart. You did."

Nancy let out a soft sigh, nuzzling against him, and Ned's arm was slung across her. The gentle stroke of his fingertips up and down her spine was enough to put her to sleep almost immediately.

"I'm sorry about all those calls I've had to handle over the past few days," he murmured. "I know we wanted to spend all this time together, and I've loved every minute of it, Nan."

"Mmm. 's okay," Nancy replied sleepily. "'M not mad."

"Good," Ned murmured. "I've just been trying to arrange something for someone special. She means a lot to me."

Nancy fought through the exhaustion clouding her mind, blinking at him in the pitch dark. "Oh?" she murmured, and realized her voice sounded a little sharp.

"Yeah. She's an amazing woman, and she's about to celebrate her twenty-first birthday..."

Nancy chuckled. "That is a big birthday," she murmured, the edge gone from her voice as she realized he was talking about her.

"And she deserves something appropriately great."

"Well, sometimes I'm good with plans," Nancy said. "Maybe I could help."

"No, no. I've got it under control. But I'll definitely ask you next time."

"Maybe... her friends could help?" Nancy's voice was bright with feigned innocence.

"Mmm. This woman... she's smart, and her friends are wrapped around her little finger. One flutter of those gorgeous blue eyes, and who could possibly deny her anything she wants? No, I don't think her friends can be trusted to keep it a secret. Not really."

"So I can't help you at all?"

"Well, it _would_ help immensely if you could accompany me to the celebration," Ned said thoughtfully. "I think Sienna could help find something appropriate for you, if you want."

"So it really _will_ be a party," Nancy mused.

Ned chuckled. "It will be something. And that's all you're getting out of me, Nan." He brushed his lips against the tip of her nose. "Don't ruin the surprise for yourself, okay, sweetheart?"

"Mmm. Okay," Nancy agreed reluctantly, even though she hated promising _not_ to entertain herself by trying to figure out what he had planned. "But I just have to say, Ned... you know that you're what I want, right? Anything you give me will just be icing on the cake. So to speak."

Ned kissed her lightly again. "I know. But my girl is only turning twenty-one once—and with any luck, it will be a birthday you'll remember."

"Now _that_ ," Nancy murmured, settling against him again, "really _would_ be a miracle."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nod to littlemsmessy's party for Ned's 21st birthday in arizona and its inspiration for this one. :)

"If there was any way I could get away with it, I would totally kill you and take over your life," Bess sighed, then took the last sip of her diet soda. "Holy _shit_. There aren't words for how lucky you are."

"I'm just bummed you went sailing without me," George teased Nancy, glancing up when a loud group of sweaty athletes streamed through the student union's front doors. "Seriously, though. He has to be _the_ most amazing guy you've met on any of your cases."

"You mean _ever,"_ Bess retorted, flipping her ponytail. "He's like Batman minus the angst. George, I swear to God if he doesn't have some tragic deep dark secret... holy _shit_. Does he tip badly in restaurants, or have road rage, or _something_? He's just so fucking _perfect_ that I just want to kill you." Bess shook her head. "Look, when he steals you away and you're living in a thirty-room mansion in Tuscany having crazy sex with him every night, remember your best friends Bess and George, okay?"

Nancy couldn't help laughing at the pleading expression in Bess's big blue eyes. "That won't happen," she assured Bess.

"You say that _now_." Bess used her plastic fork to chase a cherry tomato around her side salad; her double cheeseburger was long gone. "And then we'll only see you in _People_ magazine."

Nancy shook her head. "No," she murmured, and for a second she thought about telling them her plan. Even though it was almost impossible, she managed to stop herself. She didn't want to say anything to her two best friends quite yet, but they would be the second people she told. She felt excited and scared and nervous when she thought about it.

When she thought about Ned, though—she just felt excited. She had never been head over heels in love with anyone the way she was with Ned, and being away from him was awful.

"So he didn't happen to mention plans for my birthday...?" Nancy tried to make her voice casual, but she could hear it jump a little at the end when she glanced up at her friends.

Bess made a lip-zipping gesture, and George put an expression of shocked innocence on her face. "I have no idea what you're talking about," George said loftily.

Bess negated her gesture a moment later. "I mean, I did tell him that your fantasy has _always_ been to be the meat in a Channing Tatum and Johnny Depp sandwich," Bess said, a wicked twinkle in her eye.

George threw a crumpled napkin at her cousin. "You mean _your_ fantasy."

Bess shrugged, grinning. "I mean if they did show up and Nancy turned them down... well, I'd be there to soothe their shattered egos."

"By getting naked," George said, rolling her eyes.

"Best way to make them feel good again," Bess declared. "Anyway, Nan—he did ask a lot of questions—"

"Like?" Nancy said eagerly. She felt a little bad about disobeying Ned's request, but she just couldn't help it! Investigating the mystery would probably give her almost as much pleasure as whatever he had planned.

Bess shook her head again. "Unh-uh, Drew. I think he already had an idea, and he didn't tell me what it was. I _do_ know that he really wants it to be amazing, though. So, Channing Tatum and Johnny Depp, here I come!"

Nancy laughed at her gleeful expression. "Never change, Bess."

"Oh, I don't plan to. Until you introduce me to a super-hot family member of Ned's and I can finally have the life I've always wanted."

"Of bon-bon eating and shopping all day long?" George wrinkled her nose.

"No," Bess said thoughtfully. "I mean, there would be shopping. But... I mean, look at Ned. Sure, he is panty-droppingly gorgeous. No one's denying that. But he's super-sweet and thoughtful and he has a _personality_. And if I married a guy who just let me shop all day long and didn't want to _do_ anything fun or exciting? That would get super boring."

The three of them continued chatting as they disposed of their trays and began to walk back to the dorms. Nancy heard her cell phone chirp and checked it, and a grin crossed her face.

"Ned?" George guessed, and Nancy nodded, ducking her head a little.

Bess sighed. "Of course," she said. "Of course it's Ned. So you gonna head over there tonight?"

"I... I shouldn't..." Nancy could hear her own voice wavering as she tried to tell herself all the reasons heading over to his place would be a bad idea. She could take her books with her, but most likely she wouldn't get any studying done...

But oh, oh God, she missed him.

Bess waved her hand. "Ahh, young love," she said airily. "I don't blame you for wanting to hit that again."

"You're awful." George tossed her short dark hair.

"And _you_ haven't been fucked within an inch of your life by a real-life Greek god," Bess told her. "I mean, I'm assuming... or was it within a half-inch, Nan?"

Nancy caught a blush rising in her cheeks and ducked her head again. She had told Bess and George the details of the New York trip, but she had glossed over the nights she and Ned had spent together. Her best friends knew that she had lost her virginity to Ned and he had been incredibly sweet and amazing, but she hadn't felt comfortable telling them everything. "I can't say," she murmured.

"Well, if we're talking about inches..." George wiggled her eyebrows. While Nancy knew that she really didn't care, George couldn't resist joining in with her cousin.

"I _definitely_ can't talk about that." Nancy put her cell phone back in her pocket. "And speaking of things that are awkward to talk about... so what's the deal with you and Louis? Or do you not want to talk about it?"

Bess shrugged. "Well... I mean, he is great. He really is. And I'd love to stay friends with him, because that restaurant he wants to open is going to be _breathtaking._ Seriously. He's going to be fucking awesome, guys."

"He _is_ fucking awesome," Nancy pointed out.

"No, I mean—" Bess paused, frustrated when she couldn't find the words, and shook her head as they slowed to a stop at the bus stop shelter. "Ugh. I don't know. He's just really great."

"You sound like... like you feel differently about him now," Nancy said tentatively.

Bess shrugged. "Well, he's a lot of fun, but..." She heaved a sigh. "He just doesn't have a place for me in his life."

Bess's voice was much quieter at the end, and Nancy and George glanced at each other, then wrapped their arms around Bess. "I'm sure that's not true," Nancy said reassuringly.

"Not only that, but if he feels that way, then good riddance," George said. "Because you are great, Bess, and you're going to meet some amazing guy who loves you for all that you are. Shopping sprees, perfect makeup, big grin and all."

"Louis basically said that," Bess admitted, and sniffled a little. "Oh, I don't know. Louis is _different_. And maybe it's that he's older and more serious and he wants to settle down... and I really like that. But I almost felt like... like he couldn't take _me_ seriously."

"Considering how much you were flirting with him?" George tilted her head.

"Oh, it wasn't that." When the bus stopped, they waited for four students to exit before climbing on. "I mean, maybe it was that, but he just... he liked having fun with me, I know that, but whenever he talked about the restaurant and what he wanted to do, I could feel the way he just... he just didn't even see me as a part of his life, once he started doing that. Going to the club, that kind of thing? Sure."

"I know he wants to open the restaurant in New York," Nancy pointed out. "Maybe he thought you wouldn't want to move?"

"Maybe." Bess sighed. "But, like George said—plenty of fish in the sea. Two of whom might be at your party, if I play my cards right." Her lips turned up in a wide smile.

"I don't think I said anything about fish," George said, shaking her head.

Sensing that Bess preferred they drop the subject, Nancy did, but she was still curious. Maybe Louis had been reluctant to ask Bess to take such a big step, but Nancy could also tell that Bess wasn't ready for that either. Maybe in a few years, but not yet. And while they were clearly attracted to each other, if Bess felt the same way about Louis that Nancy felt about Ned...

Well, Nancy considered for a moment, if their situations were reversed, if she was in Bess's situation... she would follow him to the end of the earth, she admitted to herself. She had told Ned that his financial success wasn't the reason she was in love with him, and it was true. If he lost everything and decided to move somewhere else and start over, she would follow him, or at least spend as much time with him as humanly possible if she couldn't physically live with him.

But there was one thing she had to do first.

Once she reached her room, Nancy began to gather her books and pulled out her cell phone to let Ned she would be coming over. She was wrapping up her laptop charger cord when he replied.

_Can't wait, sweetheart._

Nancy smiled, a pleased warmth rising in her face as she read it. He wasn't a superhero, and he wasn't perfect—not quite, anyway. But he was perfect for her, and that was more than enough.

\--

Nancy's birthday was on a Thursday, and a few weeks before it, Sienna came to Chicago to meet with Nancy. They had discussed some options for her outfit, and the theme for the party was apparently retro Hollywood glamour. Sienna had commissioned a reproduction gown made of ivory silk, gathered so that it hugged her waist and draped dramatically from her hips. The neckline was a moderately deep v without being too revealing, and Sienna suggested diamond accessories with one accent piece. Sienna promised it would be ready by her birthday so they could make any emergency last-minute modifications, and Nancy wanted to surprise Ned with her outfit. She had asked Bess and George to come over on the Saturday afternoon of the party so they could all get ready together, and then Ned would come to River Heights and pick the three of them up—in a limousine, no less.

On her actual birthday, Bess and George bought her celebratory cupcakes at lunch and sang to her, which made her laugh. That night Carson, Hannah, Nancy, and Ned went to an incredibly expensive and fashionable restaurant in Chicago for dinner, and Nancy wore the gold dress Ned had given her the summer before. She was more dressed up than anyone else in the restaurant, but it was her twenty-first birthday, and she didn't care how anyone else looked at her, just the most important people in her life.

The three of them, Nancy and Ned and her father, had spent some time together since Ned and Carson had met, and while Carson wasn't nearly as relaxed with Ned as he was with Bess and George, Nancy supposed she understood. Nancy had never loved anyone else the way she loved Ned, and no one else had ever made her as happy as he did—which meant that no other man had ever been able to hurt her the way Ned could. For as long as Ned was only her boyfriend, their relationship, at least as far as her father was concerned, was still up in the air.

He wanted what was best for her, and she knew that. He didn't want her relationship with Ned to derail her from being everything she could be. But Ned wouldn't hold her back, and when she was with him, she knew that she was the best person she could be when she was _with_ him.

After their dinner, which was incredibly delicious and accompanied by Nancy's first legal glass of wine, Carson asked about the party Ned was planning. Nancy listened with interest, and Ned cast a brief glance at her before he told Carson that it was going to be pretty great—or at least he hoped it would. He promised to keep an eye on Nancy, though, and make sure she didn't overindulge, even though all of them knew that would be a miracle. Nancy didn't relish the idea of another hangover like the one she had had after Valentine's Day, but she definitely didn't plan on spending that night sober, either.

The waiter brought Nancy a miniature cake with a single lit candle embedded in it, and Nancy blew it out with a smile. "I'm making one for you for Saturday," Hannah told her with a smile. "Just like always."

"And I can't wait," Nancy said, grinning. "It wouldn't feel like my birthday without one of your cakes, Hannah."

She insisted that each of them try a bite of the dessert, and when they were finished Nancy sat back, smoothing a palm over the waist of her dress. Nancy had finally admitted to her father that Ned had bought the gold dress for her, she just hadn't told him when; Carson had said that she looked beautiful in it, and from the expression on his face, Nancy had known what he hadn't needed to tell her—that the sight of her in it reminded him in some way of Nancy's mother.

Then Ned reached into his pocket and brought out a small package wrapped in golden paper. "Happy birthday, Nancy," he said with a smile.

Nancy glanced up and met his eyes, and she didn't even have to tell him that he hadn't needed to give her anything, especially since he was planning her party and had paid for the dress Sienna had commissioned. Nancy had no idea how much the dress had cost, and she was a little afraid to know. She was just glad that Sienna hadn't decided to suggest a genuine vintage dress, or she wouldn't have been able to relax in it at all; she would have spent the night afraid of staining it or ruining it.

Nancy blushed a little as she reached for the gift, tearing the paper away to reveal a shallow velvet box. Inside, on a bed of velvet, she found a stunning emerald-cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds, set into a pendant. Nancy looked from the necklace up at Ned. She had known that whatever she would find inside would be beautiful, but it was breathtakingly gorgeous.

"Oh, Ned," she whispered. "Oh my God. Thank you so much... it's so beautiful..."

He smiled at her. "Sienna said it should work with your dress."

And it would—although Nancy thought that she might also need a bodyguard to go along with it, too. Maybe she could just make Ned promise to guard her safety all night.

When Carson saw the pendant, Nancy didn't miss the expression on his face. Hannah gasped when she saw it, and told Ned it was absolutely gorgeous.

Nancy wondered for a moment if her father had been nervous that Ned's birthday gift would be an engagement ring. She had relaxed a little when she had seen the size of the box; she hadn't even realized that it was at the back of her mind, that question. And she was hoping that the pendant meant he wasn't planning to surprise her with a proposal at the party. If he was going to give her a beautiful piece of jewelry for her birthday, she thought this would be the only one.

She did want to spend the rest of her life with Ned. She knew she did. But she didn't want to spend her entire birthday party waiting for that kind of surprise, and she resolved that she wouldn't.

Nancy asked Ned to hold onto the necklace until they went back to his apartment, and she hugged her father and Hannah goodbye on the street in front of the restaurant. "Happy birthday, baby girl," her father told her, kissing her on the temple. "I can't believe you're already twenty-one. I love you."

"I love you too," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you so much for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can't wait."

Once they were in Ned's hired car, Nancy cupped Ned's cheek and gazed into his dark eyes. "Thank you," she murmured. "For everything... you are so amazing."

"Happy first day of your birthday weekend," he told her, bending down to give her a long kiss. "I love you so much, sweetheart."

"I love you too," she sighed, melting into his arms as he embraced her. Her dress was huge, but the skirt was wide enough to give her some freedom of movement, and he was able to pull her across his lap so she could kiss him back easily. When his fingertips flirted with the top of the zipper, she pulled back, raising a cautioning eyebrow at him.

"I'm sorry. You're the birthday girl, so it's up to you."

She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose. "Well, my incredibly generous and insanely hot boyfriend bought me this frilly little piece of lingerie I haven't had a chance to wear for him yet. And I know I can't just roll around in bed with him all night the way I want to, not tonight anyway... but do you think you could work with the next, say, three hours?"

"Oh yes," he murmured, nuzzling against her. "My girl gets what she wants, and if she wants me to tease and lick and suck and stroke every bit of her beautiful body for the next three hours, until she's begging me to finally give her what she's been dreaming about..."

Nancy's thigh moved against Ned's crotch, and he released a quiet groan. "Or we could fuck against the front door of your apartment," she suggested. "And then take a little break for me to put on something insanely cute and go again..."

"Mmm." Ned cupped her breast through her dress, and she shivered in anticipation. "Sounds perfect, Nan."

\--

On the Saturday of the party, Nancy came downstairs at her father's house to find him already in the kitchen preparing the custard for French toast. "Good morning, birthday girl," he told her, offering his cheek for a kiss when she wrapped her arm around him for a greeting hug. "Excited about tonight?"

"Oh yes," she giggled. "And French toast, for me?"

"I thought I could have a slice or two as well, if you were okay with that," he teased her.

Nancy set the table and found the orange juice, butter and syrup, and heated up the oven to quickly prepare some bacon. She sat down a few minutes later to a feast, with perfectly browned slices of French toast in front of her. Hannah would be back to prepare lunch, but she was spending the morning helping at a massive fundraiser yard sale. Nancy had told her to keep an eye out for any mysterious-looking boxes or treasure maps, and Hannah had given her a wink as she had agreed.

Nancy felt warm and happy as she swirled the last bite of her French toast through a pool of syrup and popped it into her mouth. Her father was just crunching on the last bite of bacon. "That was delicious, Dad. Thanks."

He smiled at her. "It's nice to cook for my little girl. Sorry, my daughter. I know I might not have that many chances to do it anymore."

Nancy wiped her fingers on her napkin, then took a deep breath. "Dad, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, sweetheart."

She could feel her father's anxiety, though, and that was only making hers worse. "I know I've been spending a lot of time with Ned... and he's asked if we can travel this summer. He has a house in France, and we've kind of talked about going to the Himalayas, and spending some time with his family. I promise I'll be here for your birthday, though, and I won't spend the entire summer away. Is that okay?"

Carson pushed his plate to the side so he could rest his forearms on the table. "Is that what you want to do?"

Nancy nodded. "I do," she said. "I want to spend time with him."

"And while you're traveling..." Carson shook his head. "I will cling fervently to the naive belief that Ned's generosity will extend to a second room for you. Or at least a second bed."

Nancy knew a faint blush was rising in her cheeks. She wore the love token pendant Ned had given her during their spring break trip almost all the time, and her father had commented on it soon after her return. She didn't trust herself to say anything about their sleeping arrangements. She didn't want to lie to her father.

"Are you at least... being careful?" he asked quietly.

Nancy nodded. She couldn't believe they were actually talking about it. "Yes," she said softly.

"But you are being intimate with him."

"Yes," Nancy admitted after a moment of agony over whether she even should—but she still didn't want to lie to him. "Dad, he loves me and I love him, and we are being careful."

A small crease formed between Carson Drew's eyebrows. "Every time I see you with him, I can see how he feels about you," he said softly. "The way he looks at you... and the presents he's given you..."

And her father didn't even know that Ned had paid for the dress she would be wearing tonight, or her Valentine's Day ensemble—complete with the ruby and diamond bracelet. That sapphire necklace, though, was by far the most stunning piece he had given her.

She still loved the Victorian love token, though. Any rich man could buy his girlfriend, mistress, or wife a diamond necklace. The love token was one of a kind, just as he had told her.

"I just... I know that you spend a lot of time together, that you feel strongly about each other, but I would feel better if..."

Nancy caught her breath, tilting her head as she gazed at her father. She couldn't take her gaze away from his face.

He shook his head. "I really don't want to like him," Carson admitted, and chuckled a little. "But I see the way you look at him, and I know you love him. I don't think we've both misjudged him. I hope and pray that we haven't."

"Why don't you want to like him?" Nancy asked softly.

"Because more than any other man you've dated... I know that he could take you away from me," her father admitted, with a small smile. "That you might reorganize your whole life for him, if that was what you thought he wanted."

Nancy combed her fingers through her hair, dragging it away from her face. "But _he_ has," she pointed out, her eyes pleading. "He has an apartment in Chicago so we can spend time together, because I told him that my schooling was important. And he—" Nancy's heart started beating faster, but she told herself to keep going, to just tell him. "He wants to help me do what I've always dreamed of doing, Dad. I've talked to him, and once I graduate next year, he's going to help me figure out how to be a detective."

Carson's eyes widened, and he was quiet for a moment. "But... you know how to be a detective..."

"I know," Nancy sighed. "But I mean actually making money at it, making a living that way. I can help people and do what I love doing. It's... I never thought it was even possible."

Carson breathed out in a little sigh, like a weight was on him. "You don't want to go to law school? You... so you've... you didn't say anything..."

Nancy's lips were trembling faintly. "I wanted you to be proud of me," she said softly. "And when we talked about law school, about me being a lawyer too, I could see how much you loved that idea. And so I decided that was what I would be, but I've never felt the same kind of passion I know you have for it, Dad. I—I don't _want_ to be cooped up in a courtroom or working ninety hours a week at my first job after law school. I just get—anxious and miserable when I imagine it. But I love helping people. I love solving cases. I want to be a detective. And Ned helped me realize that it was even possible. He wants to help me with it."

"So you'd be a private investigator?"

"Or a security expert, or a consulting detective, or... something. I want to be able to take the cases that interest me, and help people who might not even be able to pay—"

"But you want to be able to make a living at it."

Nancy nodded. "And Ned wants to help me with it."

"You mean to handle the overhead and everything?"

"I mean to help me come up with a plan. I hate the idea of him just handing me this, like some little hobby, for him to just pour money into it while I do whatever I want." Nancy paused. "I promise you, I will finish my degree next year, and if I try this and it doesn't work out..."

Carson shook his head. "If the thought of going to graduate school for the law makes you miserable and anxious, then I would hate for you to pursue it," he said, and his small smile was bittersweet. "So how long have you been thinking about this?"

Nancy glanced down at her napkin, touching it with the tips of her fingers. "Since the fall," she said quietly. "Since Ned first broached the idea with me."

"So you didn't come up with it yourself."

Nancy shook her head, and her eyes were gleaming faintly when she glanced back up at her father. "Dad, I've never met anyone else like him," she said. "No one. You are the most important man in my life, and I love you so much; you are amazing, and I am so lucky that you're my dad. And I met Ned, and I swear to you, I never thought I would meet anyone like him. I thought it would just be you and me for the rest of our lives, and that was fine with me. I never thought I would meet a man I could respect or love even half as much as I respect and love you.

"And part of what I love so much about him is that he uses his resources to help other people—and that's what he wants to do with me. He understands the business side of things in a way I don't. I hated the idea of commodifying this thing I love to do—but he's helped me see that there could be another way, and that not at least trying is just being—less than what I could be, I guess.

"And Dad—practically every other guy I've dated has treated my solving cases like this huge annoyance and waste of time, so much that I thought that I couldn't have both. They didn't understand how much I loved it. And then you and I started talking about college, and I knew I had to go to college, that it was really important to you, and it was important to me too. It is. I've had a lot of great experiences and I've learned a lot.

"I am going to finish my degree. But I don't want to waste your money on going to law school, if..."

"If it's not what you truly want to do," Carson finished. "I understand, Nancy."

Nancy's throat felt thick, and she took a sip of her drink, trying to calm herself down. "Dad—I don't want to disappoint you," she said, and her heart was beating so hard. "I never wanted to disappoint you. I'm sorry."

"Sweetheart, it would disappoint me far more if you had gone on to law school and then told me that you hated it," he told her. "You are a beautiful, intelligent young woman with a pretty good head on your shoulders, and if you want to pursue this, and Ned wants to help you instead of distract you—then that's all I could truly wish for, Nancy. For you to find someone who would let you be yourself and do what you love and support you in it. I'm happy for you."

Nancy gave her father a small smile. "I'm glad," she murmured.

He rose and came over to her, and Nancy closed her eyes as her father wrapped her in a warm hug. "Oh, Nancy. You have never disappointed me, and as long as you're doing what you love, you never will."

She pressed her face against his shoulder, and he patted her back softly. She hadn't realized how much of a weight her anxiety was until she felt it begin to fall away. She had cried when she had told Ned how terrible the prospect of disappointing her father was, and her eyes were wet again now.

"And if this is what you want to do..." He moved back, looking down into her face, and his own face fell when he saw the tears in her eyes. "Shh. I'm behind you too, Nancy. I... I did love the idea of you following me, I won't deny it, but that was only because I thought it was what you wanted too. I'm glad you've decided to finish your degree... and the only thing I'll ask you is to make absolutely _sure_ you're careful about protection. I'm not quite ready for grandchildren yet, okay?"

Nancy chuckled, reaching up to wipe her face. "I'm not ready for that either," she assured him. "And we will be careful."

"I remember that Ned said he didn't want to move any faster than you did," Carson said, sitting back down. "So if you two are this close, and you've been talking about opening up shop together, in a manner of speaking... have you also been talking about making your relationship more permanent?"

Nancy took a deep breath, sitting back down too. "Not... officially," she admitted, and gingerly wiped her eyes with the napkin. "I mean, we've said that we never want to be with anyone else... but we haven't..." She shrugged.

Carson nodded. "I'm not pressuring you, believe me. Deciding to marry, or live together, or even to have sex, those are all important decisions, and they shouldn't be rushed."

Nancy smiled. "Does it help if I tell you that he and I didn't... take that step until recently?"

"Not really," Carson admitted. "Sorry. I know you're twenty-one and you've been an adult for a while, but a part of me is always going to see you as my little girl. I guess I should just be happy that he's a decent man who cares for you deeply." He shook his head. "Nancy, I'm so sorry that you thought I'd be upset with you. The only thing that makes me upset is you not living up to your potential, whatever that potential is. I've always been proud that you wanted to help people and push yourself to be the best person you could be."

She smiled at him. "And I learned that from you," she said. "I do want to be like you, Dad. Just... not quite the way we were thinking."

\--

Ten minutes before Ned was supposed to pick them up, Nancy stood and smoothed her dress over her hips. "Do I look okay?" she asked Bess nervously one last time.

Bess nodded. "Nan, you look amazing," she said. "Seriously. You are going to be _the_ most beautiful person there, and that dress looks absolutely stunning, especially with that gorgeous rock around your neck." She shook her head. "If I were just another six inches taller..."

George rolled her eyes at her cousin. "You do look really great," she told Nancy. "Well, both of you do, but Bess seems more consistently aware of it."

Bess laughed, then gave her makeup one last glance in the mirror over Nancy's vanity. "So you really don't think he's going to propose tonight."

At Bess's words, Nancy's stomach flipped crazily, and she swallowed hard as she shook her head. "I hope he doesn't," she admitted.

Bess's mouth dropped open. "Why?" she demanded. "Nancy, I swear to God, you are _never_ going to find another guy like Ned. He is—"

"I know. I _know_. He's perfect. And I... if he wants that, then I want it too." Which wasn't quite the truth, but it sounded good. The truth was that she wanted to be with him forever, and while being Mrs. Nancy Nickerson did sound amazing, having him forever was worth far more to her, even if they never did exchange any other jewelry to commemorate it. "I just... I've never wanted..." She sighed. "I think in some ways he's private and I am too, and if he wants to propose to me, then I want it to be about us. Not about all these people around us watching and making me nervous, and..."

Bess nodded in understanding. "You don't like being the center of attention. Which means tonight you're already going to be out of your comfort zone... but then, a girl doesn't wear a showstopper dress unless she knows that might happen."

"I just wanted to look pretty for Ned," Nancy admitted softly. The gown really was spectacular, and Bess had dressed Nancy's hair in loose waves and given her a gorgeous red lip too. All she needed was a cigarette holder and she would look like a femme fatale straight out of a 1940s noir film.

"Then you overshot," George told her. "You look fantastic, Nan."

Ned arrived two minutes early, and Hannah had already taken pictures of the three girls when Nancy opened the door to find Ned standing there. She took another picture and caught Ned's first reaction to Nancy's outfit. "You look incredible, birthday girl," he told her, and gave her a sweet kiss.

Hannah insisted on a few more pictures, and Ned told Bess and George they looked great, but he looped his arm through Nancy's and escorted her out to the limousine. "Seriously, Nancy—you are unbelievably gorgeous tonight."

"Speak for yourself," Nancy told him, her eyes sparkling. Ned wore a beautifully cut coal-black tuxedo with tails, and he looked good enough to eat.

The limousine was fully stocked with a bar and Ned had champagne on ice. George and Bess each took a flute. Bess had combed some of the more unique vintage clothing stores in Chicago and online auction listings, and she wore an art deco-inspired gown decorated with black and green beads, peep-toe pumps and a black velvet headband. George wore a royal blue gown with a structured halter-neck bodice that emphasized her toned body and gave her slender curves.

Nancy didn't want to start drinking yet, though. She was so excited at finally seeing the results of all Ned's planning that she didn't think the alcohol would even touch her.

They pulled up in front of a renovated vaudeville theater, one Nancy and her friends hadn't yet visited. The entire front was lit up, a red carpet was spread over the steps, and photographers were clustered near the entrance too. Nancy giggled when she realized what was strange about them—they were dressed in old-fashioned suits, with large film cameras and old-style flashbulbs. A large, forbidding man dressed in black with his arms crossed was also standing near the entrance, doubtless to keep any actual paparazzi or party crashers out. A gloved attendant opened the car door for them, and helped Bess and George out. Bess posed for the photographers with a saucy grin, while George just waved a little.

Then Nancy and Ned went up the red carpet, and the photographers went crazy. "The birthday girl! She's here!" they said excitedly.

Nancy giggled and glanced up at Ned. "You really went all out, didn't you," she smiled.

"Baby, you haven't seen anything yet," he told her, grinning himself.

Nancy was checked off on the guest list, and then asked to show her identification so her age could be confirmed. Then a smiling woman handed her an envelope.

"We're playing a game," she told Nancy, then glanced at Ned. "Your pin and the instructions are in the envelope. If you choose to play, simply wear the pin and talk to the other guests. We'll announce winners and the prizes at eleven o'clock."

Nancy and Ned moved over to the side so the next guests could come in; the theater was already filling up with people. Nancy hadn't realized that it wasn't simply a stage with seats in front.

In the envelope Nancy found a pin with a stylized deerstalker hat on it, and glanced up at Ned with a grin. A small tab with a number on it was attached to the pin, and Ned helped her fasten the magnetic back on. "So it doesn't mess up anyone's outfits," Ned explained.

Then Nancy read the instructions. All the participants in the game would be wearing pins: the deerstalker pins were for those playing detectives, and pins showing black eyemasks were for criminals. Nancy's goal as a detective was to find out who the criminals were—and which criminal specifically was guilty in the death of Leonard Ginley, the method of the murder, and the murder weapon itself, which was apparently hidden somewhere in the theater. If anyone asked her about her whereabouts, how she felt about the man, and who she thought might have killed him, her answers were provided on a small card, and she was to give those answers to anyone who asked.

The trick of the game was that some guests wearing detective pins were criminals in disguise, and some guests wearing criminal pins were undercover detectives. Nancy found a scorecard in the envelope, listing the number of each pin and asking her whether she thought that person was a detective or criminal, and if he or she had committed the murder. Correctly naming straightforward identities was worth one point, naming undercover identities was worth two, and correctly identifying the killer was worth twenty points. Finding the murder weapon earned so many points that it practically guaranteed the win.

Nancy looked up from the card, her eyes round, to see Ned affixing a deerstalker pin to his lapel. "So you're a detective too, Ned?"

"Maybe," he told her with a wink. "I asked a game designer I knew at Harvard to help plan this. I didn't want it to be too complicated, and at least this way the people playing the game can interact. Do you like it?"

"I love it," she told him, wrapping her arms around him for a hug. "It's going to be so much fun!"

George wore a pin marking her as a detective, but Bess's pin said she was a criminal. "Must be because I'm so gorgeous, it's a crime," Bess laughed, fluttering her eyelashes. "I know I won't be any good at the game, but it sounds fun anyway."

"Speak for yourself," George said, winking at Nancy. "I think I have a good shot at winning this thing."

"You both will," Nancy said. "You've both been such great help to me on cases. I'm just excited to see what the winner gets."

"It might be a kiss," Ned teased her, looping his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. "Because I just might have bet that you would be the winner, my beautiful detective."

She kissed his cheek. "Well, I definitely can't let anyone else win _that_ prize," she giggled.

"Let me take you on a tour, sweetheart."

Nancy resolved to keep an eye out for potential hiding places for the murder weapon, and she did, but she was blown away by the amount of work that had been put into planning and decorating for her party. The interior of the theater was decorated with fresh flowers and party streamers in Nancy's favorite colors. The main stage was empty; a DJ had a stand to the side, and chairs lined the walls, but they were mostly empty. The majority of the guests in the room were dancing in the center of the floor, or chatting with each other, or munching on plates of finger foods. And Bess and George had definitely helped Ned plan the guest list, Nancy realized. She saw people she had met on cases, friends she had made at school and at college, and not just the ones from nearby. Several of the party attendees were from New York; she saw several people from all corners of the United States, and even some from Europe and Asia. They all greeted Nancy enthusiastically, and Ned said they would be right back after their tour.

Three open bars had been set up at various corners: one was called Baker Street, one was Rogues' Alley, and one was called the Speakeasy. Guests who had provided proof they were old enough to legally drink were provided anything they wanted, including top-shelf cocktails—absolutely free. The bartenders were also able to provide a few clues, they were sure to tell Nancy. A roped-off VIP area, a security officer with a clipboard standing outside, provided a place for Nancy and her immediate circle of her friends to go to get a respite from the noise and excitement of the party. Buffet tables had been set up with overflowing trays of finger foods: fresh fruit skewers, stuffed mushrooms, mini-quiches with every imaginable filling, Kobe beef sliders, roast beef buns with horseradish dressing, chicken skewers, twice-baked mini potatoes, sushi rolls, spanakopita wontons, bacon-wrapped seafood, fried ravioli poppers and mozzarella sticks with marinara dipping sauce... after that, Nancy lost count. Ned had rented a few old-fashioned photo booths and put them near the bars; he told her that the booths dispensed photos, but they also kept digital versions and let the users upload them if they wished. Women dressed as cigarette girls walked through the crowd dispensing party favors and game clues.

The guests Nancy knew who greeted her all wished her a very happy birthday, and they were clearly amazed at the party. Nancy told them all that she was a very lucky girl who had an amazing boyfriend—and she was just as amazed by it all as they were. She saw Helen Corning Archer and her husband, Teresa Montenegro, Emily Terner and a few of her friends from the Hamptons, Jennifer Bishop, Mick and Sondra Swanson, Wendy and Celia and a bunch of the people she had graduated with at River Heights High School, Bree Gordon and Midori Kato and Mattie Jensen and Rick Arlen and the members of Bent Fender, Lisa Trumbull and Nikki Masters and Billie Peters and Jesse Slade and Susan Victors, and countless more. All of them were decked out in beautiful costumes. Some had their own bodyguards in tow, which didn't surprise Nancy at all.

Ned had invited some of his own friends and family, too. He introduced her to his cousin Evan Chandler and Evan's wife Laurel, who lived in California and were excited to meet Ned's longtime girlfriend. Josh Klein, Maury Becker, and Clark Faraday came with their own dates, who wished Nancy a happy birthday and teased Ned about being a cradle-robber. Louis was there too, and Nancy couldn't help glancing between Louis and Bess when she saw Ned's personal chef. He introduced her to a few new friends, people she hadn't met before. The man he introduced as his best friend, who had grown up with him in Vermont, was Michael O'Shea, who introduced his own girlfriend, Jan. The majority of the people in attendance, though, were Nancy's friends and acquaintances, many of whom she hadn't seen in a few years, and catching up with them was great. Almost all of them were playing the game, and Nancy carefully listened to their answers to her questions, making notes so she could determine who was genuine and who wasn't.

And there was so much to do. The DJ kept up a steady stream of great songs, the buffet was constantly full, and the bartender at the Baker Street bar told Nancy he had a special birthday cocktail just for her. It was sweet, peach and raspberry flavored, and fizzy, and Nancy loved it—and felt a head change after the second one.

"We're bringing out the cake at eight-thirty," Ned told her. "But I have another surprise for you after that."

"Another one?" Nancy's eyes were round. Several of her friends had grabbed her so they could pose for photos in the booths near the bars while they exchanged their game answers, and Ned had brought her samples of almost everything on the buffet table. The champagne cocktails had kept coming, too, and Nancy felt delighted and happy. "Oh, Ned..."

"I think you'll like this one."

"I've loved them _all_ ," Nancy told him with a grin. "Baby, tonight has been so great."

He gave her a light kiss. "I'm glad."

The cake was enormous so it could serve all the guests, and was decorated with every imaginable color in sugar-petaled versions of Nancy's favorite flower. Lit candles embedded in the top of the cake formed the numbers 21, and the guests sang Happy Birthday to her just before she blew them out, giggling. The top layer was vanilla cake, the middle layer chocolate, and the bottom layer marbled vanilla and chocolate. Servers were standing nearby, and they were ready to make cake and ice cream parfaits with long spoons for those who wanted them.

Nancy swallowed the last bite of her chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream parfait with a delighted sigh. She had noticed that some roadies were setting up equipment on the stage, and she had a feeling that maybe Bent Fender would be performing, although members of a few other bands were also in attendance. She was glad that she had already questioned many of the guests, and even managed to find the murder weapon while no one was looking; while the finger foods and snacks had soaked up a lot of the alcohol in the champagne cocktails, she was still feeling buzzed and happy, and she really wanted to be around Ned. George was talking to Clark Faraday, and Bess was dancing with Ned's friend Paul, and Nancy was catching up with Teresa. She put down her emptied parfait glass and went in search of her boyfriend, her fingertips lightly touching the sapphire hanging around her neck.

He was facing away from her when she found him, and a couple about Ned's age were talking to him. "Really, Nickerson? A barely-legal college student? It's a little early for a midlife crisis, isn't it?" The female member of the couple, a light-eyed brunette, flipped her hair with a knowing grin.

"Look, if you aren't having fun..." Ned inclined his head; security guards were at or near many of the doorways. While no one had been escorted from the building as yet, Nancy knew that they could be if they acted inappropriate or became too inebriated.

"Oh, no, I didn't say that," the guy backpedaled. "It's just—I mean, Cassandra? She was totally perfect for you, and all this..." He shrugged. "I don't know. It's just a little cliched, don't you think?"

Nancy's first impulse was to walk up behind Ned and slip her arms around him, asking the guy to go ahead and finish his thought, glaring at him the whole time. But she was more curious about what Ned's response would be.

"She was perfect," Ned agreed, his tone neutral. "For a fun weekend or two. But that's not enough for me anymore, and Nancy—she's better than Cassandra could ever be, for me. I don't give a fuck if this is cliched or too much or over the top; this is the first birthday I'm able to spoil her, and I intend for it to just be the first one. I love her. And if you have a problem with it, there's the door."

Ned turned and saw Nancy standing there, gazing up at him with her blue eyes gleaming a little. He came over to her and took her arm, guiding her over near the stage. "You okay?" she asked, squeezing his arm.

"Baby, I am more than okay. As long as you're having a good time."

Nancy nodded. "Tonight has been amazing," she told him. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too, gorgeous." He kissed her temple. "And now... I'll be right back, okay?"

Bess, George, and Helen were standing with Nancy when Ned took the stage. "Hi," he greeted the crowd. "Welcome to the party, and I hope everyone has had a great time so far. We're all here celebrating Nancy's twenty-first birthday—say hi, sweetheart."

Nancy waved, and the people around her clapped and cheered.

"It's been great for me to meet a lot of you. I know you're all really important to Nancy and it means a lot to me that you came tonight. Everyone has a glass?"

The cigarette girls had been distributing flutes of bubbly champagne to the guests who were of age, and sparkling grape juice to the underage guests. They raised them all as Ned gestured with his own.

"To Nancy, on her twenty-first birthday. May she have many, many many more, each more impressive than the last. I love you, sweetheart."

The guests all cheered and clinked glasses, and as Ned toasted her, he met her eyes.

"Twenty-one years ago, the most important person I will ever meet was born," he said, a little quieter. "You are the one, sweetheart, and you have totally captured my heart. You deserve the world, baby, and I will give you as much of it as I can.

"Starting with this."

Nancy's heart was beating faster, from what he was saying and the expression in his dark eyes. He took the microphone and slotted it into the stand at the front of the stage, then left it as a group of performers walked on. The shrieking started a second before Nancy recognized the lead singer, who fronted her favorite band of all time—he hadn't been mingling with the rest of the guests. She had never been able to see the band perform live.

Nancy gasped in delighted surprise, and when Ned came back to her, she threw her arms around him and embraced him hard, planting a kiss on his lips. "Ned, oh my _God!_ "

"Happy birthday, baby."

"Happy birthday, Nancy Drew," the lead singer said into the microphone, and Nancy squealed with glee. "Hope it's been an amazing one."

They kicked off with their most popular, well-known song, and the area just before the stage turned into a mob of people jumping up and down and dancing to the music. Many of them were shouting the words along with the main singer, and Ned twirled Nancy in his arms. She couldn't stop laughing; she was delighted, every face she could see was lit up with joy as well. She still couldn't quite believe it.

After two more upbeat and fun songs, the band segued into a quiet instrumental as the lead singer bent over the mic again. "And this one, the host asked us specifically to play for the birthday girl. This one is for you, beautiful."

Two of the songs Nancy had put on her Christmas gift CD for Ned were performed by the band on stage, and they performed both of them for her during her birthday party. They weren't as well-known; they were deep cuts from the band's catalog, and Ned asked her to dance before the first one began. Tears rose in her eyes as she recognized the opening chords from the first one.

"Oh, Ned," she whispered. "How did I get so lucky, to meet a guy like you?"

Ned smiled. "So you like your surprise, Nancy?"

Her arms were up around his neck, her body tight against his as they swayed together. "I love it," she whispered. "I love everything about my party. You are the sweetest, most amazing guy... and I love you so much."

He leaned down and gave her a soft, slow kiss. "I love you too," he murmured. "Didn't I tell you I'd give you a party to remember?"

She grinned. "And I'll never forget it," she told him. "I'm just wondering how I could possibly show my appreciation... fully."

"Mmm. I have some ideas," he told her, grinning himself. "But you _are_ the birthday girl. I have a feeling anything you come up with will be just fine."

After their dances, Nancy's buzz had worn off a little, which was good—she had a feeling that she had narrowly avoided overshooting. She drank a few more cocktails, and then two of the party coordinators tallied up the game entries and announced the winners. Nancy won, and Ned gave her a blue deerstalker instead of a blue ribbon, planting a kiss on her cheek as he placed it on her head. Everyone else who participated in the game received a treat bag, and all the guests were given little favors. Before the night was over, Nancy pulled Ned into one of the booths and posed with him for one of the photo strips. The members of the band mingled with the crowd once their performance was over, sipping champagne and sampling birthday cake, and Nancy asked the members of the band to sign the deerstalker for her. It was the perfect memento of the night, she decided, and hugged Ned again after she put it back on her head. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug.

After the last dance, many of the guests came over to Nancy and Ned, telling them that the party was the most amazing one they had ever attended, hugging Nancy and wishing her a happy birthday one last time, complimenting her dress and telling her how incredibly lucky she was to have such a thoughtful boyfriend. Nancy noticed with some amusement that her boyfriend was just as uncomfortable with the praise as she would have been.

Many of the out-of-town guests were apparently staying in a block of rooms Ned had reserved for them in a hotel not far away from the theater, and Bess and George bid Nancy goodbye as they headed over there. Bess had found out a few room numbers for some of the more handsome guests, and was hoping that they might all get together for an after-party. George was trying to get a head start on sleeping off her looming hangover.

"You treat her well, Nickerson," Bess said, shaking a finger in Ned's direction. "I know where you live. Take her home and tuck her in bed."

"Yes ma'am," Ned said with a wink.

In the back of the limousine, Nancy slid onto Ned's lap and cupped his face in her hands, kissing him over and over. "You," she murmured, "are the sweetest, most thoughtful, most incredible, most handsome guy..."

Ned caught the deerstalker as it slipped off her hair, placing it on the seat beside him and then wrapping his arms around her too. "And you deserved every minute of it," he murmured between kisses. "Thanks for not ruining your surprise, Nan—I know you could have."

She smiled at him. "Well, I suppose that where you're concerned, Mr. Nickerson—making you happy and letting you surprise me was just a little bit more persuasive than how incredibly curious I was about what you would be giving me tonight."

"Oh? Are you still _curious_ about what I'll be giving you tonight?"

Nancy giggled at the exaggerated leer on his face. "Oh, I will always find _that_ incredibly interesting," she cooed. "So would a kiss or two help show my appreciation?"

"A kiss, or two, or three..."

"On the lips?" She gave him a long, incredibly sweet kiss, one that left both of them low-lidded and breathless with desire when she pulled back.

"That's a good start," he told her, his voice a low growl.

Nancy's self-control was frayed to shreds by the time they pulled up in front of Ned's apartment building and took the elevator to his door. As much as she wanted his hands on her, the incredibly awkward and confining undergarments Sienna had practically insisted upon for this dress weren't sexy at all, and she wanted to get out of them before he saw her.

"Let me just get changed," she told him, giving him one last long, lingering kiss.

"Mmm," Ned murmured, bracing her against the back of his front door, his fingers finding the closure of her dress. "You look gorgeous, baby. And I've been dying to get you alone..."

Nancy couldn't help blushing when he pulled the dress's zipper down. "No," she murmured, reaching up to hold her dress closed. "I'll be quick, okay?"

"What's wrong?" Ned asked, tilting his head, his lips reddened from their kiss, his tie unfastened. He looked ridiculously handsome.

"Let's just say that I do not look at all sexy under this dress."

Ned made a disbelieving noise, but released her anyway. "That's a baldfaced lie," he told her.

She shook her head, shooing him away as she found the lingerie she wanted to change into and shut the bathroom door behind her. Struggling out of the spandex was far more difficult than it had been to get into it when she was perfectly sober, and that hadn't been a walk in the park, either. She laughed and fell off balance a few times while tugging and squirming her way out of the binding undergarment, then sat for a moment panting before she began to put on her lingerie.

Since it was the night of her birthday party, Nancy had decided to wear something that was both comfortable and sexy. She did love the light that came into Ned's eyes the few times she had worn stockings and a garter belt for him, but she didn't even feel coordinated enough to put it all on in her current buzzed state, and putting another layer between her and sex with her boyfriend just felt foolish. Plus, a slip he had recently bought for her fit in with the theme of the evening beautifully: it was an absolutely gorgeous art deco-style pale peach silk and black lace-embroidered slip that hugged her curves and fell to mid-thigh. When she put it on, Nancy realized that it made her look naked, like she was just covered by a very thin web of black lace.

Ned had taken off his tie, shoes and socks, and his jacket, but he was still wearing his snow-white shirt and dark pants, sitting at the edge of the bed. His dark eyes glowed when he saw her standing in the doorway of the bathroom, before she flipped off the light behind her. The bedside lamp was on, and on the dresser she saw a beautiful arrangement of the same flowers he had used to decorate the theater for her party.

Nancy gave him a slow smile. "Hi handsome."

"Hi beautiful," Ned said, standing as she began to walk over to him. "I was going to ask if maybe you wanted to unwrap your last present... but oh, honey, I don't think I can wait long enough."

"My last present?" Nancy reached up, unfastening the first button of his shirt. "Because after everything you've given me tonight, I think the only thing I could possibly want is the unbelievably generous, drop-dead gorgeous, incredibly sweet and sexy man who has given me the best party any girl could ever want. The concert, the mystery game, all the amazing things you did for me..."

He reached up and gently ran his fingers down the curve of her hips, stroking her through the delicate fabric of her gown. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it, baby," he murmured, gazing into her eyes. "I would have been so disappointed if you hadn't."

She unfastened the next button, then the next, her gaze locked to his. "You are so thoughtful and I can see how much you love me... and everything you have ever given me or done for me, it has meant so much." She reached up on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss against his lips as she unfastened the next two buttons. "And I can't wait to spend time with you this summer, the way we were planning."

Ned's eyes lit up. "So you really can go?"

She nodded, giving him a small grin. "I talked to Dad this morning," she told him, pulling the tails of his shirt out of his pants. "And I told him about... about what we were talking about for next year, too."

"And what did he say?"

Nancy ducked her head for a second, then glanced back up at her boyfriend. "He said that if that's what I want, then he's behind me," she admitted quietly. "That he's always been proud of me."

Ned leaned down and kissed her, long and deep and tender. "What did I tell you?" he murmured against her lips. "He loves you and I love you, no matter what, baby."

She returned the kiss, running her fingers through his hair. "Yeah, you told me so," she murmured, and kissed him again.

Then Ned pulled back, stroking a hand down her hair. "Tonight, all those people I met? They were people who knew you and loved you for what you wanted to do. You were meant to help people, Nan. As a lawyer or a detective or a spy, whatever. But all those people around us, those were people whose lives you touched. You would never be able to convince me that you shouldn't be that person. That person who has done so much good, who will do so much good. I just hate the idea that you would walk away from something that you love so much."

She gazed up into his eyes. "And that's why I love you," she said softly. "Because you want this for me. Because you get me in a way that almost no one else does. I love you so much that my heart feels like it could almost break with it, Ned."

He gave her a soft smile. "And the last thing I would ever want to do is break your heart, Nan," he murmured. "I love you so much."

She ran her fingers through his hair, drawing his face down to hers again. "Can I tell you something that probably isn't secret at all?" she murmured against his lips.

"Sure," he murmured back.

"You're the one for me, too," she breathed, and when he nuzzled against her neck, she closed her eyes. "The only one."

"Yes," he murmured against her skin. "My beautiful girl. My one and only."

Nancy pulled his shirt down his arms. "It doesn't bother you?" she whispered, letting the fine fabric slip through her fingers and fall to the floor as he kissed her collarbone.

"What doesn't bother me?"

Too much of the alcohol had burned away, but she still felt a little unsteady, her tongue a little too loose from the drink. "What they were saying," she murmured. "About me just being some—some teenage college student..."

Ned sat down on the bed, gazing up at her, and he pulled her with him. She brought one knee onto the bed, then the other, straddling his waist, her face tipped down so she could gaze into his eyes. "Shit. Stupid me, hoping you didn't hear that," he murmured, and brushed her hair out of her face. "And stupid them. I don't give a damn what anyone else on earth thinks about us being together."

"Even though some of them probably think I'm some—I don't know," she murmured, and brushed a lock of thick dark hair off his forehead. "Some airhead who flipped my skirt and caught your eye..."

He brushed his thumb along the line of her cheek. "When you and I both know that's not how it was, and that's all I care about," he told her. "And anyone who takes the time to hold a conversation with you knows you aren't some golddigging airhead."

"Golddigging?" she repeated, a faint chuckle in her voice.

Ned smiled at her. "It doesn't bother me," he murmured. "And anyone who has a problem with it can get the hell out, as far as I'm concerned."

Nancy gave him a small, quick smile, then leaned down and gave him a long sweet kiss. "Good," she whispered.

They kept kissing as she slowly stripped the rest of his clothes off, until he was naked and she was still in her nightgown. He took the hem in his hands and pulled it off her, dropping it to the floor, then skimmed his hands up to lightly brush over her breasts, her hard-tipped nipples. "Beautiful," he murmured, and she blushed a little in pleasure. "So beautiful, baby."

She lowered herself, straddling his hips, and brushed the tip of her nose against his. "I love you," she whispered, kissing his lower lip. "I love you, I love you."

He returned her kiss, embracing her, running his fingers through her hair. When she relaxed so the length of her body was pressed against his, he pressed his palm against the small of her back and she arched, angling her hips against his.

"I love you," he breathed. "Mmm, baby, you feel so good."

She cupped his hip and rolled onto her back, pulling him with her, and almost immediately he pinned her under him, rubbing his cock against the join of her thighs. Nancy let out a shuddering sigh as she brought her knees back, then wrapped her legs loosely around him.

Despite the impatience they were both feeling, Ned took his time with her, kissing her over and over as he grasped her hips, angling her, grinding against her. He stroked and fondled and rubbed against her until she was shuddering, whimpering with his every brush against her. "Oh God," she moaned, rocking her hips back and forth, and his skin was so hot against hers, his weight insistent.

"Yeah," Ned murmured, and kissed her earlobe, the side of her neck. Then he pressed his lips against her ear. "Are you ready for me, beautiful?"

"Yes," she moaned, her eyelashes fluttering down. "Yes, please, _please_..."

Then his thumb brushed against her clit and Nancy cried out, trembling with arousal. He teased her clit and sex until she was quivering on the cusp of her orgasm, her hips jerking with every brush of his fingertips, and when she felt the tip of his cock at her opening, she was panting, her tender inner flesh already pulsing in anticipation of feeling him inside her.

"Mmm, so good," Ned growled, and Nancy arched as he began to move between her thighs, making his first few thrusts shallow and gentle. "Fuck yes. I can't get enough of you, baby. I could never have enough of you."

Nancy whimpered, then swallowed against her dry throat. "Oh _yes_ ," she groaned, bringing her hands down so she could grasp his finely toned ass, and his hips gave a quick jerk against hers. "Mmmm..."

"You like that?"

Nancy began to pant desperately as he pressed the full length of his cock between her thighs, but it didn't hurt, not anymore. He pulled almost all the way out of her, then thrust his hips, and Nancy tipped her head back, letting out a low, deep groan of pleasure.

"Look at me, beautiful girl... you like that?"

"Yes," she whimpered, her gleaming blue eyes meeting his, and she jerked under him against his next thrust. "Oh God, oh God, soooooo good..."

He leaned down and sucked her lower lip into his mouth, arching over her so he could thrust into her even more rapidly, and Nancy clung to him, digging her nails into his shoulder blade as she kept clasping his ass with the other. She felt him descend, felt his hips rock, felt the thick, hard length of his cock part the tight slick press of her sex in one hard thrust, and she cried out again.

He built a rhythm in her gradually, teasing her clit until she was a breath away from reaching her orgasm, then backing down, and she was amazed again at how well he knew her body, how fucking incredible he was at making love to her. If he hadn't been so assured and in control with her, she would have been embarrassed at how thoroughly she lost control, the way she begged him to fuck her, the wet sound of their joining as he drove his cock into the slick, tender press of her sex over and over.

The next time he rubbed the ball of his thumb against her clit, Nancy thrashed under him, her hips jerking as she sought contact. "Please yes yes _yes_ ," she begged him.

Ned was panting, and when he circled her clit the other way, then flicked it hard with the tip of his thumb, she bucked hard, crying out as she reached her orgasm. He kept stroking her just as hard, and Nancy's eyes rolled back, whimpering in pleasure as he kept driving into her.

"Ned, oh my God!"

"That's right, beautiful," Ned growled. "You love it, don't you..."

"Yes," she whimpered. "Oh _yes_ , so good—oh _God!_ "

He shifted, grasping her hips to shift the angle of his penetration as he kept fucking her, and Nancy screamed in pleasure, her shoulders jerking. She dug her heels into his back so she could buck against him to meet his thrusts, her nails digging into his sweat-slick skin.

Then he stiffened with a low hoarse cry at the deepest point of his next thrust, and Nancy held herself as still as she could, panting, her sex still pulsing against his cock. Her throat was dry, and when Ned collapsed to her Nancy embraced him hard, whimpering as his cock shifted between her thighs.

Oh God, how he filled her up, so tight that she had been sore and tender for hours after the first time she had felt his entire length in her sex. He had been sweet and gentle with her, and making love to him had been nothing like she had ever imagined it would be.

It was better. And she had never felt so connected, so in tune with another human being the way she did when they were like this.

When she was finally breathing close to normally again, Nancy toyed gently with the hair at the nape of his neck, smiling as he kissed her temple. He let out a long pleased groan, kissing her cheek.

"I love you," Nancy whispered, and tipped her chin up to press her lips to his.

"And I love you," Ned whispered, kissing her again. "I love you so much."

Nancy swallowed, searching his eyes when he pulled back to gaze into her own. "Forever," she whispered.

"Forever," he replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I will write another story in this universe—considering how many of you were begging for a proposal scene—I just need a little break to work on a few other stories in between. :)


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